Affirmations

[OliveJewel]

Not sure if this is the right board. Was going to start it in “Accomplishments” because affirmations are so dang hard for many of us, so making one is an accomplishment.

I saw someone posted a thread here which is two years old so I am starting a new one. I would not be surprised if this thread remains empty because I myself struggle to make affirmations, but apparently making them helps push back against SI, and I’ve posted plenty of threads where I struggle with that, so I’m giving it a go—and I expect this to be hard, did I say that already? 😅

Affirmations:

I am getting stronger, even though I have a hard time seeing it.

For the most part my life is better now than before.

I am focused on my recovery.

There are people I know who care about me for real, even though I have a hard time receiving it.

 

[Survivor3]

Hi @OliveJewel, great thread.

I haven't smoked cigarettes or drunk alcohol for 16 months despite the fact that sometimes I'm in emotional and psychological pain.

I have made many mistakes in my life but I try to recognise and learn from them.

I am a good person and mean well.

 

[OliveJewel]

Thank you @Survivor3 for joining in!

Hope you have a good day!

 

[PlainJane]

I am able to find humor in most situations

I take responsibility for my actions

 

[OliveJewel]

Thank you for joining @PlainJane !

Those are good ones! I like the experience of reading others’ and imagining myself saying them for myself, or imagining their journey to that affirmation. Which reminds me I’ve been hearing about drama therapy. I studied acting in high school at a performing arts magnet school. I was intrigued by method acting. I longed for therapy but was so far away.

I am returning to the dreams of my younger self through my present day recovery.

Made another! 😁

 

[Athill]

"Empty boat" is one I've started using. It's less an affirmation, though, and more a...affirmation-mantra...? It's based on the parable below.

A monk decides to meditate alone, away from his monastery. He takes his boat out to the middle of the lake, moors it there, closes his eyes and begins his meditation. After a few hours of undisturbed silence, he suddenly feels the bump of another boat colliding with his own. With his eyes still closed, he senses his anger rising, and by the time he opens his eyes, he is ready to scream at the boatman who dared disturb his meditation. But when he opens his eyes, he sees it’s an empty boat that had probably got untethered and floated to the middle of the lake. At that moment, the monk achieves self-realization, and understands that the anger is within him; it merely needs the bump of an external object to provoke it out of him. From then on, whenever he comes across someone who irritates him or provokes him to anger, he reminds himself, “The other person is merely an empty boat. The anger is within me.”

 

[Renly]

I am enough.

 

[PlainJane]

I like the experience of reading others’ and imagining myself saying them for myself, or imagining their journey to that affirmation.

Maybe the beginnings of new neural pathways?

 

[arfie]

for me, "affirmations" is on my fuzzy word list, alongside classics such as, "prayer" and "meditation." my fuzzy word list be a long and convoluted list. when the word comes up in casual conversation, i wait for group context before i open my mouth. better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open my mouth and remove all doubt.

anyhoo. . .
i find affirmations to be a tremendous therapy tool. i like four syllable affirmations i can combine with breathing exercises. two syllables in. two syllables out. examples:

i can do this
no fear. have faith
i am enough
small steps big faith
easy does it

 

[osiris]

I have a compassionate heart.
I deserve the compassion I give to others.

 

[Friday]

Very few words have real meaning to me, since I think in pictures. So if I’m tryin to do the affirmation thing as a way to deal with cognitive distortions and core beliefs? That’s where I find real traction… by using imagery to counterpoint the thought/belief.

The words that DO have meaning to me, I’ll often post repeatedly on my profile, just to evoke the sense behind them & remind myself… which isn’t one image or thought… but often a collection of thousands that go bone deep / heart deep.

Strength. Prochnost.
Pura Vida.
Gut up. Suck it up. HTFU.
The people who live keep moving.
Keep moving.
Sort it.
Figure it out.
Whatcha gonna do?
Locked, cocked, ready to rock.
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast. Fast is lethal.
Retreat. Regroup. Revenge.
This ain’t the ballet.
Exhale.
The strength of the pack is the wolf, & the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Why shoot the shit when you can shoot at shit?
That’s the best bad idea I’ve heard all day.
f*ck it.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Better. Stronger. Faster. Again.
Nothing & No One.
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

…and others. Shrug.

 

[TruthSeeker]

"Empty boat" is one I've started using. It's less an affirmation, though, and more a...affirmation-mantra...? It's based on the parable below.

A monk decides to meditate alone, away from his monastery. He takes his boat out to the middle of the lake, moors it there, closes his eyes and begins his meditation. After a few hours of undisturbed silence, he suddenly feels the bump of another boat colliding with his own. With his eyes still closed, he senses his anger rising, and by the time he opens his eyes, he is ready to scream at the boatman who dared disturb his meditation. But when he opens his eyes, he sees it’s an empty boat that had probably got untethered and floated to the middle of the lake. At that moment, the monk achieves self-realization, and understands that the anger is within him; it merely needs the bump of an external object to provoke it out of him. From then on, whenever he comes across someone who irritates him or provokes him to anger, he reminds himself, “The other person is merely an empty boat. The anger is within me.”

I really like the parable....it's very to the point. Thanks