Acting Like Your New Self

Re-Creating Your Self by Christopher Stone

In previous columns, we’ve explained, explored and evaluated powerful mental actions that can help you accept the new beliefs contained in your Blueprint for Personal Change. This column, as well as the next one, is about taking physical actions to help you become the person you want to be, living the life you desire.

Acting like your new self is an indispensable tool for personal change because mental action that isn’t eventually followed by physical action has limited value when it comes to Re-Creating Your Self. Mentally affirming your new self is important, but physically acting like your new self is essential.  It’s the old action speaks louder than words (or mental gymnastic) thing.

When Shakespeare wrote, “Assume a virtue if you have it not,” in Hamlet, he was advocating false morality.  But he could have been describing physical actions as a tool for personal change. We’d never promote false values. We’ll leave that to the Bard. But we understand and, hopefully you do, too, that each time you physically affirm the person that you want to become, you’re putting wings on your positive mental actions. Acting like your new self demonstrates faith in your ability to become the kind of person you’ve chosen to become. It brings you closer to becoming that person in fact.

When you act like your new self, you take on the mindset and the physical demeanor of that which you wish to become in fact. Act like your new self for a while and, sooner or later, you’ll realize that you’re no longer acting. You’ll understand that you’ve truly grown into and inhabit the new self you desired to become. Your action reflects you.

If you’ve applied the principles of Re-Creating Your Self to your life, then you’ve already initiated important mental actions that will help you to create the life you desire. However, on the physical level, you may still be acting in a manner that reflects and reinforces your old self, the person upon whom you want to improve.

For example, if your goal is to change a negative belief about your personal potential for prosperity, you may mentally affirm, “I’m a magnet for money. I attract it effortlessly and in perfect ways.” Indeed, this affirmation becomes a powerful tool for change. It immediately introduces a fresh point of view about your financial prospects. And every time you repeat the affirmation, your negative thoughts about prosperity become less automatic, powerful and entrenched. But ultimately, to really become “a magnet for money,” your physical actions must corroborate your positive mental affirmations.

For instance, if you want to become prosperous but you are poor right now, you may be mentally affirming prosperity but physically confirming lack and poverty. Perhaps in your Creative Daydream you’ve been acting as though you are Diamond Jim Brady, but in real life, you wouldn’t even think about reaching for a restaurant check - even a small one - because you still fear letting go of a buck.

Because you can’t successfully re-create your self when your physical actions constantly contradict your positive thought, it’s time to begin supporting your excellent mental efforts with their physical counterpart. Now don’t get me wrong. In asking you to act like your new self, I’m not encouraging reckless or irresponsible behavior. If you’re poor and desire riches, I don’t recommend going into debt to buy a pricey sports car in order to act like your prosperous new self.

A symbolic action is sufficient. If prosperity is your goal, then acting like your new self may be as easy as picking up the tab for coffee and doughnuts with a friend. Maybe you donate five dollars to a favorite charity. Or, perhaps you buy the $30.00 garment you desire instead of the one that’s on sale for $20.00.

If your goal is self-trust, acting like your new self could mean making some small decision on your own that you would ordinarily not make without first consulting a trusted friend. If self-love is the issue, you might do a little something each day to pamper your self: Have breakfast in bed, soak for a few extra minutes in a comfortable, warm tub. You get the picture.

A Re-Creating Your Self: Playing “Make Believe,” or “Acting As If,” you are something you wish to become, will eventually transition your desires into your personal reality.

Coming June 15: Talking Like Your New Self. Have a Re-Creating Your Self comment, observation, or a question? Please send them to me at recreatingyourself@mail2teacher.com.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Stone