healing moment: affirmation practice (erin jean warde)

This week I’m sharing a practice that is vital in my life and a practice we will return to in our weekly healing moments — writing affirmations & affirmation practice.

healing moment

This post will provide practical insight into recovery, sobriety, changing how we cope, connecting with our minds, bodies, and souls, and more. It could be any of the following: quote, podcast rec, coaching technique, or something else completely. This is a form of free support for you, dear friends! And these posts will continue past October. :) I hope this gives you even more care. <3

affirmation practice

This week I’m sharing a practice that is vital in my life and a practice we will return to in our weekly healing moments — writing affirmations & affirmation practice.

The way I describe the origin of my affirmation practice is always the same: (pardon my french but) I thought it was bullshit until it worked. The idea that I would speak positive thoughts to myself was SO deeply foreign to how I always spoke to myself, so the idea was immediately preposterous. But, desperate to grow in my sobriety, I decided to try it (even though receiving them made me roll my eyes for the first 20 days of 40).

But one day an experience cut through the cynicism — I had lost my purse, or it had been stolen (we still don’t know), and I felt so, so deeply stupid. I had no access to debit cards, my ID, credit cards, or cash. I had my keys and phone, thank God, but that was it. And still, the first thing I said to myself was: You are doing your best. Without access to even gas money, I had to reach out to friends for support and I remember one of my friends saying: “Wow, you are handling this so well. I would be an absolute wreck, and you’re so collected!”

To this day, I still want to roll my eyes toward the idea of “thinking positive thoughts,” and I hate the moments when people seem to think positive psychology is a magic fix for clinical depression, but one thing remains true: my affirmation practice does work. It does support me. It does help me speak kindly to myself, and feel grounded when I should otherwise be a wreck.

So today, write an affirmation for yourself. You’re going to return to it every day, for as long as you like. Make it the background of your phone, write it on mirrors with lipstick, put post-it notes on your beside table, whatever you need to do. Just try to let this word of self-compassion interrupt the ways you might want to withhold compassion from yourself.

If you’re struggling to think of an affirmation, try this:

Try to locate your most negative self-talk message. (This can be really vulnerable, so wade in tenderly.)
With that in mind, write an affirmation that refutes it.

Example: I’m such an idiot, I keep constantly messing up.
Affirmation: I am doing my best.

Example: Nobody likes me and I don’t blame them, I suck.
Affirmation: I am worthy of love and belonging.

I hope you’re able to come up with the message you need in your life right now. But more importantly, I hope you’re able to receive this positive message into your life.

With love & care,
EJW

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