Change is hard. When it comes to implementing any kind of change, we are usually met with a hardwired thought pattern that feels a bit like taming a wild beast. This is because brain neurons that fire together, wire together. They literally create a pattern that becomes more and more engrained, making it difficult to break. It can be a wild ride to show up everyday with a will for a new way of living and an openness to change, yet there be a real struggle.
The good news is science has shown that we can create new neural connections and reprogram our thoughts and behaviors. This process is called neuroplasticity, and it occurs when we learn new things and engage in new experiences, forcing the brain to fire in new ways. Exercise, specifically yoga, is wonderful for exposing the body to new mechanics thereby promoting new neural connections and creating a fertile environment for even more new connections to be made.
Takeaway: Try a yoga class or search for a free class on YouTube and experience it for yourself! If you're a yoga pro, try a new challenging pose that you've never done before. The key here is to expose the body to something new. 
We can build on these new experiences by layering in positive affirmations. From here, life can really begin to take off in new ways! Affirmations help to align your beliefs with positive perspectives to help bring about a higher way of living. Affirmations are generally "I am" statements that are stated as if you already have the outcome you desire. Here are a few examples:
To practice affirmations, you can say them 3-10 times to yourself while looking the mirror, taking time to connect to the words. You can repeat affirmations throughout the day while driving or performing various tasks. It is especially helpful when you realize that your mind has wandered off into negative thoughts, to become aware of these thoughts, interrupt them, and replace them with an affirmation of your choice. In this way, affirmations help to center us and ground us back to an aligned belief system rather than ruminating in thoughts that don't serve us.
Writing a specific affirmation ten times helps to reinforce the words beyond just saying them. And feeling each affirmation is the most important of all. Feel the difference in your body when you say or write the affirmation. If it really resonates with you, there should be an expansive feeling and maybe even a tingling sensation in your body. Both writing and feeling help to bring about change more quickly.
Takeaway: Try creating your own personal affirmation and putting it into daily practice. Commit to practicing your affirmation for 40 days and journal the changes you begin to notice.
With a dedicated effort to learning new things and embracing new experiences along with daily affirmations, you can bring about positive and lasting changes that lead to a more rewarding life. Change is hard, but YOU, my friend, can do hard things!
Still not sure exactly how to get started with creating affirmations that work for you? Check out my Anchor the Light monthly subscription box that delivers a new affirmation, intention, crystal, and more directly to you so you can reprogram your belief patterns to overcome common fears and truly live out your dreams and desires.
Remember, you are worthy of all of your desires. You're just an affirmation away from the best to come!
All the love!
