French pharmacist Emile Coue found a way to speed the healing process.

Along with his prescriptions he would enclose a note detailing how the medicines he dispensed would improve patients' health. He was one of the first people to promote the use of affirmations, a form of self-talk to promote health and personal improvement.

His phrase, "Every day in every way I'm getting better and better" is a very powerful auto-suggestion and it has helped countless people to make progress in their lives.

I've used this sentence, and I've recommended it in my seminars, audios, and articles. But just today, I decided to modify just one word, which I believe will make the affirmation more effective.

Instead of declaring, "Every day in every way I'm getting better and better," I suggest dropping the word, "getting."

Getting implies that you're on the way to something but you're not quite there, yet. This isn't as helpful as stating your affirmation as if you are already where you want to be.

"Every day in every way I'm better and better" says you have arrived at improvement.

Author Shakti Gewain puts it this way in her book, "Creative Visualization":

"Always phrase affirmations in the present tense, not in the future. It is important to create it as if it already exists. Don't say, 'I will get a wonderful new job,' but rather, 'I now have a wonderful new job.' This is not lying to yourself; it is acknowledging the fact that everything is first created on the mental plane, before it can manifest in objective reality."

By the way, she lists scores of affirmations in her book, and guess which one she offers, first?

Emile Coue's, but she uses the standard, less optimal version. Try, "Every day in every way I'm better and better" and tell me how it works for you.
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top speaker, sales, service, and negotiation consultant, attorney, TV and radio commentator and the best-selling author of 12 books. He conducts seminars and speaks at convention programs around the world. His new audio program is Nightingale-Conant's "Crystal Clear Communication: How to Explain Anything Clearly in Speech & Writing." He can be contacted at gary(at)customersatisfaction.com.