The power of positive thinking

‘The power of positive thinking.’

How many times have you heard that phrase? But what does it really mean? What actual ‘power’ does thinking in a positive way really have? I am sure we’d all agree that thinking positively is a good thing, especially when we’re feeling positive and life is going well. However, when you live with chronic pain and are feeling pretty crappy it is a lot harder to stay positive.

I would say I’m a pretty positive person. But I wanted to explore whether actually saying positive affirmations could really change how I was feeling. Could positive thinking change your brain in a physical way?

I explore affirmations; autosuggestions and self talk in greater detail in my book and reveal the science of neuroplasticity and the recent research into how our brain processes pain.

I wondered what my mind would be capable of if I really applied myself. Could I train my brain to rewire itself or form new neural pathways to stop my pain? I was willing to do the work. Just like exercise, the work required repetition and dedication to reinforce my new mental approach to pain.

First, let’s explore affirmation.

An affirmation is usually a short, positive statement in the present tense. It affirms what you desire to be true or something that has already happened. Positive affirmations are used to build a positive internal dialogue. When we consistently repeat positive affirmations, we create positive subconscious thoughts and can make positive changes more quickly and automatically. We are able to create a new positive reality by replacing old and negative thinking with new and positive thoughts. For example:

Every day, in every way, my body is restoring itself to its

natural state of perfect health.

When we say an affirmation we think consciously about our words and our thoughts and we must feel them and enjoy them. When we feel positive emotions our mind is instinctively responding to something it believes to be true and we can experience them as true in physical reality. This can be very difficult at first, especially if you are in pain, but I found that repeating my affirmations kept me focused on my inner wellness goals.

At first, it can be strange repeating an affirmation about your health that doesn’t seem right, but I found that, over time, continually repeating and writing down the affirmation definitely had a positive effect on my overall mood.

Affirmations are a way of reprogramming our thought patterns. Change your thoughts – change your life. Could it be that simple?

As part of my pain management and wellness self care program, I regularly record many different affirmations relating to different wellness goals. I wanted to share some of my audio affirmations that you can use as part of your daily routine to help you feel and think more positively.

Let me know how you get on with them.