Recently, I started re-listening to an old audiobook written by Louise Hay on how to manage anger in life. I keep the scratched-up disk set in my car and enjoy the soothing sound of Louise's voice during my commute to work. In the five-disk collection, I find myself enthralled by her words repeatedly, and I often replay chapters to really get her message in my head. The other day, she offered a tactic that seemed novel, and perhaps one that might help calm me on rough days.
She told me to listen to a voice recording of myself when I fall asleep each night. I know, it sounds kind of wacky at first. Louise Hay has guided me to better manage a myriad of emotions over the years through her books and wise words. She has helped me navigate dark roads and enabled me to have the courage to pursue my dreams. No, I'm not being dramatic. She really is that good. When she mentioned something that sounded iffy, I figured it couldn't hurt to try - even if that meant feeling silly.
The Talk Down
I scoured the internet for stories of people who recorded themselves reciting positive affirmations and things they desired in their life. Honestly, I couldn't find much on it with a simple google search. That's not to say all of this is a load of crap. If you didn't know, there is proof of the subconscious benefits of positive affirmations.
This is true whether we believe it or not. So with my recorded affirmations, I wanted to make sure I was using language that is specific to my desires, is positive yet not demanding, and refrains from using any negativities like don't, not, never, etc.
How to Affirm Without Demanding
When speaking to yourself (literally,) it's important to be clear in your desires and say exactly what you wish for and exactly how you want it. If possible, use descriptive words to help you visualize all that you long for. This will assist in bringing yourself closer to feelings of reality.
So, I sat with my beloved journal and started brainstorming affirmations of specific things I wished for in life. They were fairly specific but not in a way that implied a ceiling for growth. I wrote things down like, "I have seven forms of income, most of which are passive." This is something I started to work on after graduating from college.
I found Medium, starting selling on Poshmark, secured some side gigs, and recently, I began exploring affiliate marketing opportunities via Instagram. It's really nothing to write home about, but it's a start to my long-term goal of having seven forms of income. Why seven? I'm not sure, I just like the number!
Some other phrases I wrote, most of which are specific to me and target areas of my life in which I would like to improve in.
"I am one with the Universe. I exude love. I am love. I am worthy. I reverberate positivity. I am proud to be me."
"I am healthy, wealthy, and wise." (Borrowed from YouAreCreators with Justin Perry - the best LOA Youtuber ever.)
"I have a positive outlook on life, and I am always meeting wonderful people who add substance and love to my life."
"I love the work I am doing. There is so much room for advancement. I am making a lot of money."
"An abundance of money flows to me naturally and effortlessly. Money finds me in unexpected ways. I am a magnet to money."
"I am patient and calm, and I handle conflict with ease. I am able to self soothe." (I struggle with anger.)
"I am in outstanding physical health. I live pain-free at all times. My back feels great." (I have scoliosis and wore a back brace for many years. I see a chiropractor regularly.)
"I have a loving, healthy, and mature relationship with my boyfriend. We have open communication and treat each other with respect." (We are only a few months in, and I want to keep it flowing well.)
"I have a wonderful relationship with my mom. We communicate well and understand each other. We speak to each other with respect." (Let's just say this relationship in my life could use some improvement.)
"I grow an abundance of my own fruits, vegetables, and herbs organically and sustainably. I learn about gardening a little bit each day. Soon, I will sell my homemade organic compost marketed as "Susie's Soil." (This is further down the line, but I see no harm in starting to affirm something that falls within my five or ten-year plan.)
Variation is Essential
I think it's important to include affirmations that focus on various aspects of your life. Things like physical and mental health, relationships, finances, work, etc help me to organize my thoughts into useful categories for myself. I also included other specific affirmations I didn't mention above that are related to Medium.
Things like publications I want to get into, the increased curation rate I desire, and an increased amount of money I would like to earn per month on the platform are just some things I started to incorporate into my affirmations.
How I Created by Personal Evening Soundtrack
To prepare for recording myself, I simply transcribed my affirmations from my notebook to my laptop and edited them a few times. I wanted to make sure the message I would hear was precisely what I intended for my subconscious to soak up.
I then recorded myself speaking with no other sounds around me and repeated each affirmation three times in a row. (I did this in my upstairs closet because I am in the middle of preparing an at-home DIY recording studio.) The repetition is to help get the message into my subconscious mind. I spoke clearly and softly since I would be listening to this before going to bed.
I found ocean sounds online and didn't have to worry about copyright infringement because I was only going to use this recording for personal use.
I pulled up a YouTube converter website, (which is free and easy to find) and turned the ocean sounds clip into an audio file.
I played around with iMovie and layered my voice atop the sounds of waves. I recorded myself in one take to avoid excessive editing. There was no need for perfectionism in this personal project. I added a couple of pictures and dragged them out to extend for the duration of what turned out to be a five-minute clip.
I then exported it and uploaded it to my google drive so I could easily access it from my phone and put it into a private playlist. I choose to keep my phone out of my room while I sleep at night, so I added the audio to an old clip-on iPod I had from way back in middle school. I did this because there are no distractions on that device - there is only the sound. I certainly didn't want to explore a stale, toxic habit I once had of scrolling on social media before I shut my eyes for the night. I wanted to really focus and avoid any and all distractions.
If you don't mind listening to your phone, you can transform it into a video on iMovie as I did.
You simply add a picture or video if you like followed by exporting. You can then upload it to YouTube and keep it as an unlisted video. This means no one can see it but you and whoever you choose to share the private link with if you should choose to do so. Then, create a new playlist and add this video a number of times to give the illusion of "looping." This would be beneficial if you plan to listen throughout the entire night while you're actually asleep.
The Initial Cringe
At first, it was very strange to listen to the sound of my own voice. Although I love to sing, I have never liked the sound of my speaking voice. So it took some getting used to. And before long, I felt relaxed. It just seemed like I was telling myself something in my head, which is typically in the form of advice.
The only difference was that these were affirmations of things, some of which I didn't actually have yet. Hearing myself say it out loud made those things seem more real, and in the least, more realistic to attain.
The best part about recording these statements in your own voice is that you can tailor them to you including your needs and desires. You can formulate an entire series of sentences based on one subject, and you can keep creating as many audio tracks as you desire. You can focus on aspects of your life that are lacking. You can even focus on those that are doing well that you would like to see continued improvement and growth in.
It's true that our subconscious mind is more receptive to suggestions and requests when we hear them in our own voice rather than a generic voice.
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Results
After listening to the track for a few nights in a row, I became accustomed to the sound of my own voice. I didn't feel silly about it anymore. It became something I looked forward to because it relaxed me. I also knew it would benefit me both in the short-term and long term. I became excited to implement this addition to my self-improvement journey. And I regularly began to look forward to the feeling of waking refreshed and more confident each morning.
I'm not only grateful to Louise Hay, but to myself for being open to trying something new that appeared a bit strange at first. I try to hold myself accountable for trying anything once in terms of social and personal development and evolution. I'm certainly happy to share my positive results that this life alteration presented me with.
This Practice Increased My Self Concept
Above all else, I must stress that it granted me confidence. Thankfully, the practice didn't turn me into a narcissist or give me a big head.
I'm referring to the type of confidence that helps you to attack new goals, dreams, and desires that you may have been too scared to tackle otherwise. Maybe you think it's too hard, you fear hateful and negative feedback or you are simply unwilling to put in the behind the scene work that something truly worthwhile requires.
A wholesome confidence boost this exercise granted me was nothing short of miraculous. It lit that fire under my butt that had recently been suffocated by feelings of inadequacy and confusion towards my direction in life moving forward.
No, it certainly didn't fix everything that could use some fixing. But it helped me to be more comfortable in my own skin and know that the best is yet to come.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to improve themself or their lives in one way or another. Frankly, that should be everyone since we are never through growing or improving ourselves.
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