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Creating Positive Affirmations That Work

Yesterday I discussed how to bring positive thinking into your life and part of doing that is being able to put together positive affirmations that will work.

Positive affirmations are one of the most important elements of acquiring a positive frame of mind.  To affirm means “make firm”.  An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.  Why is this important?

Because of that inner dialogue that runs through our minds – if it’s continually negative it can drag you down into a negative spiral.  Do you think marathon runners are continually thinking self-defeating thoughts like “I’ll never be able to finish this race!”  or “I’m so damn tired, I’m never going to get to the finish line!”  I can assure you they are not thinking this, but if they are, they are most likely not going to win that race.

Fighting cancer can be a lot like running a marathon.  That’s why I’m reinforcing the power of having a positive attitude.  There are some good ways of creating positive affirmations and some really unhelpful ways.  It is a powerful technique, so let’s get it right because it is SO worth doing.

“The practice of engaging in affirmations allows us to begin replacing some of our stale, worn out, or negative mind chatter with more positive ideas and concepts.”  – Shakti Gawain in her book “Creative Visualization” (on my Recommended Reading list).

Affirmations can be done silently, spoken out loud, written down (I like them on the dashboard of the car!), or even sung or chanted.  And they are best used whenever one of those old, negative thoughts enters your head.

The Best Way to Create Positive Affirmations

• Always phrase them in the present tense, not in the future – create your desire as if it already exists.  Not “I will be healthy by the end of this year”, but “I am glowingly healthy, whole and complete in myself”.  The words “I Am” are very powerful.
• Always phrase affirmations in the most positive way you can by stating what you DO want, not what you don’t want.  Not “I no longer have cancer in my body”, rather “I am vibrantly healthy and happy to be alive”.  (The reason for this is that your mind doesn’t acknowledge negatives like “no longer” – it just hears “cancer in my body”.  Repeat those two statements and see which one feels better in your body – I think you’ll agree the second one is much more powerful)
• Short and simple affirmations are more effective.  Long, wordy affirmations lose their emotional impact and can be hard to remember.
• Choose the words that feel right for you – what works for one may not work for another.
• You are creating something new and fresh – so be aware that you may have some inner resistance at first.  Keep at it!  Try to suspend your doubts and hesitations.

Positive affirmations are powerful when used in combination with visualizing or imagery.  Some people who are actively battling cancer (especially children – they are good at this) like to imagine what their cancer cells look like and then create a strong, powerful enemy (their immune system) easily overcoming the cancer cells.  I would suggest even drawing a picture – it doesn’t matter if you aren’t artistic – your picture comes from you and can be very powerful.

My favorite affirmation is one I use whenever anxiety hits:  I AM SUPREMELY CALM.  Paired with a deep breath it works every time.

If you would like my help with getting through breast cancer in an inspiring and ultra-healthy way, please sign up for my free e-newsletters on the right, or “like” me on Facebook (Marnie Clark Breast Health Coach).  When you’re in a desperate situation, you need an ally.  You can depend on me to help you through this.