How Affirmations Work

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Category: Healing Resources

Does the thought of repeating affirmations feel uncomfortable to you?  Do you feel that it's pointless to work with affirmations because you just don't believe that the positive qualities they hold apply to you and that you could never believe them?  If you feel or think this, then please read on and learn how affirmations work.

For example, if you are in an almost constant state of irritation or anxiety and you snap at people, the affirmations, "I am kind. I am patient" will certainly feel far from the truth. You will feel uncomfortable saying these two affirmations. You know you are not kind and you are not patient.

But what happens is that pushing against the discomfort lets the affirmations find a tiny place in your awareness. Day after day,  repeating the affirmations helps a spark of new awareness grow. Over time you discover you have a choice between a quick snap and a patient response - now and then.

As you bring your new awareness into new action you get a different kind of response in the world that will reinforce your new action. So the building continues. Then, without even realizing it you incorporate a more kind and patient way of thinking and behaving into your ordinary life.

This is an important piece of needed understanding. Healing Your Hungry Heart contains a long list of affirmations to choose from and explains how to work with them.  Your challenge is to move past your resistance and dare something new.  After all, you are daring to work toward eating disorder recovery and live a life free of your eating disorder.  You are going from the long time familiar into a new way of living.  Affirmations, worked with knowledge and understanding, can be a powerful recovery tool on your journey to recovery.

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0 # Thanks for this JP, I never thought of i — shh 2011-11-13 17:05

Thanks for this JP, I never thought of it that way before.

0 # Thank you for your comment again, Shh. — pinkjoanna 2011-11-13 17:42

Thank you for your comment again, Shh. I'm glad you got value out of this post. And I'm glad you responded so quickly. It gave me a chance to discover several typos that affected the meaning of what I intended to say.

I'm glad you read through my errors and got the message. I think it's more clear now that I've made the necessary corrections.

We help each other in so many ways!

0 # yes, it does sound uncomfortable to affi — mylifex2 2011-12-02 20:01

yes, it does sound uncomfortable to affirm my worth when I am so busy destroying those opportunities. I have never, ever given consideration to actually having positive thoughts about myself when engrossed in negative behaviors. That does seem hard. But..I am going to try it right now.
I am a good mother to my children, I keep them safe and happy.
I am a good daughter and a good friend
I am a hard worker
I will not always be sick
I am just as important as the next person
What I say and how I feel is important
I know how to say I am sorry when I hurt someone
I know that I do not want my eating disorder to kill me because I have a lot to live for...
this last one was the hardest to write, because there are times that I have felt that dying is a trade-off I am willing to accept. Hardest to write- but most important- because without this one, I will never have the opportunties for the rest of them...

0 # Wonderful list, Shh. I agree, the last i — pinkjoanna 2011-12-02 20:43

Wonderful list, Shh. I agree, the last is the most important.

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