Maile : Simplicity Seeker

Re: Positive affrimations?

Maile said Mar 22, 2006, 11:34 AM:

 

On there own, I'd say no.  Under hypnosis, maybe. 

The problem is that that there has to be more to it than just the words in most cases.  You have to convince your subconscious to believe these new ideas, ideas that go against very deeply held beliefs that you've/it's accumulated over many years. 

I've found a technique that works better, from the field of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Say, for example, you are a person with social anxiety disorder.  Negative thoughts flood your mind whenever you leave the house: those people are all staring at me, everyone knows i'm feeling anxious, everyone think's i'm stupid because i'm not participating in the discussion, etc.  Merely stating the opposite to yourself will have little effect on these thoughts.  They're well-established habits that aren't going to change just because you say so.

However, you can ease your way into changing your thoughts.  You don't really believe the affirmation “people like me whether or not I participate in the discussion” so repeating it to yourself will do little good.  But you do believe the same statement with “maybe” prepended to it.  Anything's possible, right?  Sounds silly, but it works well.