From time to time, people say that affirmations are a waste of time. What they don’t realize is that they are always affirming something. Whether it’s their old story or their new story, it doesn’t really matter. They are unconsciously affirming something.

One of the definitions of this word says that an affirmation includes an emotional support or encouragement. And who better to give you that if not you? Affirmations aren’t just vain repetitions. Neville was against vain repetition and to this day, we see and hear from many of Neville’s students that there has to be a feeling attached to the affirmation or else it’s a waste of time.

Your subconscious understands feelings. That is how you impress your subconscious mind. Once the feeling gets impressed, unless it is countered by another stronger feeling, it must be expressed.

“Feeling is the one and only medium through which ideas are conveyed to the subconscious.” Feeling is the Secret, Neville Goddard

I will base the rest of my post on an example that I have actually come across multiple times with multiple people in my own reality. Let’s say I am talking to a person named Dave. Dave is telling me a story about how he lost his lover Jane. He is repeating his old story. He doesn’t realize that by doing this, he is affirming that story. Not only is he seeing the images in his head while he is telling me his story but he is also associating the feelings with it. He is reinfecting himself!

“Do not waste one moment in regret, for to think feelingly of the mistakes of the past is to reinfect yourself.” Feeling is the Secret, Neville Goddard

Now, I am not the only person that Dave is talking to but I tell him to stop repeating his old story. He promises to do it but 2 days after he makes that promise, I see him commenting on something that Lily said and he is yet again repeating his old story. What is he doing? He is affirming it, again. He is reinfecting himself. Does he want to recreate this story? No. Actually, he has a burning desire to change his story but it seems that he just can’t discipline himself enough to abandon this old story.

Let’s say Lily gives him the same advice as I gave him. She tells him to stop repeating his old story. He says he will. But… Another 2 days pass and I see him commenting on another person’s post, again, repeating his old story.

“Never entertain an undesirable feeling, nor think sympathetically about wrong in any shape or form. Do not dwell on the imperfection of yourself or others. To do so is to impress the subconscious with these limitations. What you do not want done unto you, do not feel that it is done unto you or another. This is the whole law of a full and happy life. Everything else is commentary.” Feeling is the Secret, Neville Goddard

All of these quotes are from the first chapter of Feeling is the Secret: Law & Its Operation. If Dave would have read this chapter, he would understand why what he is doing is not in his best interest.

See, this is why saying things like, “I understand that I shouldn’t be repeating my old story but…” makes no sense. If you truly understand that repeating your old story is only going to keep you in the same situation in which you are now, why would you do it? If you are one of the people who does this, trust me when I tell you: if you don’t want for your world to change, keep impressing the same feelings onto your subconscious. But if you wish to see a change, change the feelings that you are impressing on your subconscious mind.

This doesn’t mean that you have to suppress your emotions in any way.

“By control of feeling is not meant restraint or suppression of your feeling, but rather the disciplining of self to imagine and entertain only such feeling as contributes to your happiness.” Feeling is the Secret, Neville Goddard

When your mind is disciplined, you are the one choosing your emotions because you understand that your thoughts provoke emotions. Therefore, if your mind is disciplined you only entertain the thoughts that you deem good. You choose the thoughts that lead to manifestations that you deem positive. You don’t entertain the thoughts and feelings of failure, disappointment or hurt. If you do feel these things, you don’t resist them. You acknowledge them and remind yourself of who you truly are. This is what changing your story is really about: remembering who you are.

You are always affirming something. Whether you are affirming something that serves you or something that does not serve you, that choice is up to you. Choose wisely.