We all start out the new year with the best of intentions and then by February or March, we’re back to our old ways. I know that’s true for me, so I’ve stopped devising a long list of new year’s resolutions. They don’t work.
Take a moment and reflect on the past 3 years. We’ve overcome some of the most unexpected events imaginable: a pandemic for the ages, tragedy of catastrophic human loss, layoffs, lockdown, political upheaval, and isolation. Many of us are now languishing, disconnected, depressed, and burned out—we even have conjured up terms for these conditions like “quiet quitting” and “the Great Resignation.”
Here’s the thing about the current state of our mental unease. To come out the other side, we need more resilience built by focusing on positivity. You have to believe that things are getting better and then they will. That is the power of suggestion and it fundamentally changes how we think, feel, and act.
How do I know the power of suggestion works? I’ll give you three examples:
#1: In the book, The Hidden Messages in Water, Masaru Emoto studied how human consciousness affects the molecular structure of water by exposing the crystals of water to both positive and negative words, pictures, or music. The result was astounding: the crystals formed shapes that reflected the tone of the words, images, or music:
Words: You Disgust Me
Words: Love and Gratitude
Ref: YouTube, the Wellness Enterprise.
#2: In my book, The Paper Tiger Syndrome, I talk about how manifesting is one of the most powerful ways to enact change and positivity in your life; it’s drawing upon the sacred feminine in all of us (all genders) that doesn’t require doing anything, it requires being—a powerful calling out to the Universe to make it happen for and with us. You choose a mantra—a 3,000-year-old tradition that begins with the words, “I am,” and ends with a word of what you want more of: I am wealth, I am confidence, I am health (ignore grammar and put it in the present tense—you want the words to land inside your body as if it’s already happening—so that the words inhabit who you are). Mala beads will help you count, too. For this one, I have provided a guided meditation you can download from Insight Timer or Spotify called, “I am Mantras.”
#3: Similar to #1 and #2, pay attention to how you think and what you say. If you are putting negativity out there in the world, the world will respond accordingly. The same is true for positivity—even if you can only find a mustard seed of positivity today. Go with it. Then speak that word into your heart space several times and notice how you feel—what’s different about you now? For this one, I have provided a guided meditation you can download from Insight Timer or Spotify called, “The Power of Suggestion.”
If you want 2023 and the years ahead to be better, you have the power inside you to make that happen. Let me know how you’re doing in the comments section!
Stay true to you,
Rebecca
Rebecca A. Ward, LMFT, SEP, PCC
Founder, the Iris Institute
Published Author | Licensed Therapist | Executive Coach
For more information, I encourage you to pick up my book, The Paper Tiger Syndrome, or sign up to be notified when workshops will be available later this year.