Affirmations and The Long Healthy Tail

Affirmations are generally thought of as positive statements that people make up to keep their minds focused on creating a desired change in their life. Yet the truth of the matter is that your entire "inside conversation" throughout the day forms the basis of one big affirmation that doesn't quit. Included in that perpetual affirmation are things you speak out loud to others and vague feelings that you don't even stop to name or consciously recognize. All these elements put together with the inner dialog you may consciously be aware of form what we'll refer to today as "the long tail."

The term "long tail" is probably familiar to most people who've studied marketing lately. It's the title of a book by a perceptive fellow named Chris Anderson. "Don't just sell shoes," a long tail enthusiast would tell you. "Sell red shoes, green shoes, black shoes, and brown. Sell casual shoes, dress shoes, athletic shoes, and flip-flops."

In other words, in the world of marketing, it's good to have a niche. Maybe several. How come?

Well, people don't want shoes just to fill their closet. They want the perfect color to match that new suit, or to keep their feet extra warm on a super-cold winter day, or to make them appear taller, or to support their arches for standing long hours on a concrete work surface. They want shoes that will help them run faster, feel affluent, or fit in with the right crowd of peers. Jane wants shoes that slip on and off easily while Joan wants to know that hers won't accidentally slip on the floor of the kitchen she works in. And so on.

It's essentially the same thing with your affirmations. You don't simply want health for health's sake. You want to feel well, do more, live longer, or to have less expense for prescription drugs. You don't want to lose weight just to be lighter. You want smartly fitting clothes, more energy, or to appear attractive to the opposite sex.

Unconsciously, while hanging around in your life, you may notice yourself "wishing" for those things. I don't suppose I have to tell you that wishing doesn't go very far toward creating breakthrough results. Either that, or you'll silently and repeatedly affirm that you can't have the things you say you want. That strategy isn't going to create what you're looking for either.

Here's the brilliance of working the long tail. Instead of "wishing" you had more energy and vitality, affirm your expectations for the positive change you'll experience when it arrives...

* That you can walk up the stairs without losing your breath.
* That you can spend the day at the park with the kids or grand-kids and keep up with them!
* That you feel comfortable in your body.
* That you can easily fulfill your obligations at work, enhancing your feelings of security.
* That you easily fall into a restful sleep at the end of a productive day.
* That you are whole and well.

In other words, create a perpetual affirmation of health (or abundance, or whatever else you're focused on at the moment). Keep it ever present in your mind. Heed your inner inspirations and take action on them. And appreciate the miracles that begin to occur in your life!