How successful and happy we are is often defined not by what happens to us, but rather, by how we react to the events in our lives. It is our subconscious beliefs about ourselves and the world around us that determine whether the reactions are positive or negative and whether the resulting outcome helps us or sabotages us.

Poor self-esteem and other negative beliefs are often at the very root of many personal problems and can cause massive damage to a person's ability to succeed. The irony is that often these beliefs are often formed in childhood and are now either untrue for us or simply inappropriate for an adult and yet these underlying beliefs persist and are rarely re-assessed or challenged.

Positive Affirmations are positive statements; you can use them to reinforce positive aspects of the self and are effective in countering negative thought patterns. Positive affirmations also help start the process of self re-assessment, challenging those old negative beliefs about the self. By regularly repeating affirmations and keeping them in the forefront of your consciousness, you help develop new positive thoughts and a new positive mindset. By replacing the old negative thoughts with new positive thoughts, the positive affirmations open up a completely new set of life possibilities that simply did not seem possible before.

Breaking out of negative thinking is a cathartic experience. Suddenly instead of feeling "stuck", caged or trapped by the old negative beliefs, you are released. At last able to spread the wings of life without fear and follow your dreams and your destiny unencumbered by the old baggage of negativity.

To use your positive affirmations effectively, you must use them regularly and consistently. I often leave positive affirmation cards that I have written lying about in places where I know I will see them and be reminded of them regularly throughout the day.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about affirmations and how to use them is to be aware that every word we speak, every thought we think is also a form of affirmation. It is vital that when we catch ourselves being negative about ourselves, or about those around us, or anything for that matter. We stop, and find a new positive way of expressing ourselves that reflects the new positive self that we want to be. Initially this can be hard, but the good news is that if we persist, not only does it get easier; our slip-ups come less often.