You have the power to be healthy and strong. Affirmations — when repeated internally or externally — root into the conscious and the subconscious mind, inspiring, energizing and motivating. Use these 12 powerful, life-changing affirmations to influence your habits and actions for a healthier and happier you.
The science of affirmations
For decades, science believed the brain was hardwired — unchangeable. However, new research in the field of neuroscience shows us that this concept may be untrue. In fact, it is now thought that the brain is continually changing with each new experience.
What does this have to do with affirmations? Well, with neuroplasticity comes realization that affirmations may not be all in our heads, but actually may have basis in hard science. It means our thoughts and attitudes are wired into our brains. But it also means that with positive self-affirmations, we can change our bad habits into good, healthy habits.
Turn positive beliefs into your mantra
What you perceive is what you believe. Your perception of reality is determined by your beliefs, which doesn’t necessarily make them real, except for the fact that you believe they are.
Your beliefs create and dictate your attitude. Your attitude, subsequently, creates and dictates how you respond. Meaning, your attitude dictates your feelings. And your feelings largely determine how you behave.
Affirmations are words or phrases that induce a positive state of mind, such as, “I am strong and healthy.” They are closely related to religious or mystical mantras that are chanted and repeated during meditation. Affirmations help reprogram old thought processes to create new patterns, suggests Melissa Carver, PhD, from The Chopra Center.
Affirmations stabilize the thoughts and create a steady flow of good intentions. You have the power to help your body heal itself, so let’s begin. Below are 12 powerful affirmations for healthy living. Repeat them daily, and repeat them often.
Every day in every way, I am healthier and stronger.
The 1920s French psychologist Emile Coue is the inspiration for this affirmation. Dr. Coue, well known for his theories regarding “conscious autosuggestion,” suggested that anyone with mental or physical illnesses could cure themselves by repeating his affirmation 15 to 20 times a day: “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
I am well. I am perfect health.
Part of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s daily practice was the repetition of these two affirmations. For affirmations to become powerful healing tools, you have to believe in them and actually feel the desired end-state before it has materialized.
Prior to Dr. Dyer’s death, he was diagnosed with leukemia. However, the coroner’s report indicated that he did not have a trace of leukemia in his body. His official cause of death was coronary heart disease (heart attack).
I honor my body by trusting the signals that it sends me.
When you overrule or ignore what your body is trying to communicate, you interfere with the body’s natural healing process. Sometimes the body can’t do what you’d like it to do. But when you honor your body’s message, you honor your body’s wisdom, suggests Dr. Carver.
I enjoy the foods that are best for my body. I love every cell of my body.
Affirmation guru Louise Hay created this powerful affirmation. An affirmation is anything you say or think. The problem is, a lot of what we normally think and say, particularly about our health, is negative — creating a bad experience for us. We have to retrain our mind and words to form positive patterns if we want to change our lives.
I am surrounded by people who encourage me to be healthy.
Using the power of “I am” in your health affirmations is a powerful way to help you define who you are and what you are capable of. “I am” is a holy expression for the name of god, says Dr. Dyer, which is the aspect of you.
I manifest perfect health by making smart choices.
Sometime we need to change our concept of ourselves. To do this means letting go of any inner dialogue like, “I make bad choices” and replacing it with a desired, future state. This becomes your personal mantra and affects your feelings, energy and actions, according to Dr. Dyer.
Having taught the art of manifesting for years, Dr. Dyer believed that the same principles could be used to help people heal. The general premise is to put your attention on what you intend to create and live from there.
I look forward to a healthy old age because I take loving care of my body now.
A September 2013 published study in a journal of the American Heart Association, shows that a positive outlook could mean living longer and stronger, even for those suffering from heart disease.
Every part of my body manages its tasks easily and naturally.
Your body is an intelligent energy system that maintains its inner harmony freely and easily by adhering to the infinite wisdom that supports and sustains it, suggests Dr. Carver.
I balance my life between work, rest and play — they all get equal time.
Your body needs balance. Sometimes it communicates what it needs through hunches or through feelings of comfort or discomfort. Listen to whatever your body tells you. It never lies.
I am grateful for my healthy body. Peace flows through my body, mind and soul.
The body does not know stress. But when you interfere with your body’s natural healing ability through poor diet, lack of exercise or unhealthy choices, your body can’t function at optimum efficiency.
I am pain-free and completely in sync with life.
Remember, affirmations take time to resonate within you. Sometimes people will say their affirmations once a day and then complain for the rest of the day. In the end, the negative affirmations always win because there are far more of them and they are usually said with great feeling.
I am grateful to be alive. It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day.
Self-healing is real. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t ever get sick or eventually die. If you want your affirmations to help you stay healthy or heal your body, you must say them with conviction and you must say them often. What you believe, you become.
—Katherine Marko
Katherine Marko is a freelance writer, author and blog creator. Her areas of expertise include food, health, style, beauty, business and nutrition. Marko holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, a diploma in photography, graphic design and marketing, and certification in esthetics.
Sources:
http://drdavidhamilton.com/think-yourself-positive
http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2010/08/every-day-in-every-way-i-am-getting.html
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/7-affirmations-for-self-healing
http://www.drwaynedyer.com/blog/the-power-of-i-am
http://cancershift.com/cancer-shift-blog/2011/9/14/wayne-dyers-cancer-journey-from-denial-to-love.html
http://www.drwaynedyer.com/blog/meeting-spiritual-healer
http://www.louisehay.com/health
http://circoutcomes.ahajournals.org/content/6/5/559