Always Avoid Anti-Affirmations
by Che Garman
Anti-affirmations are a form of negative self-talk that negate the negative issues we wish to eliminate or move away from. If you use any of the following words in your affirmations, then chances are you are affirming (and attracting) what you don't want.
Anti-affirmation words
avoid
never
give up
ignore
no longer
refuse
stop
quit
don't
never
Let's use the example of healthy eating. I have seen the following anti-affirmations written in printed books, embedded in professional hypnosis recordings, and provided on many websites. I'm sure you've seen some of them too:
I never eat junk food.
I avoid eating foods with sugar.
I stop putting so much food on my plate.
I no longer buy nutritionally-empty foods.
I easily ignore my cravings for sweets.
I refuse to eat fatty foods.
I willingly give up the need to drink coffee.
Anti-affirmations will only work against you...
The subconscious mind usually focuses on the subject of the affirmation, not the negation. It's not that the subconscious mind is incapable of understanding negative words. It's that it thinks in pictures. The mental pictures that anti-affirmations create usually reflect the problem - not the solution. Anti-affirmations negate a problem or issue, and this is generally where our mental focus goes. What we need to do instead, is affirm (and therefore visualize) a positive solution.
Christopher M. Knight
If you say I avoid eating foods with sugar, what are you forced to picture? Most likely you will visualize all the sugary foods that you know you should be avoiding. And this is exactly the opposite of what you want your subconscious mind to focus on.
Obviously, it is going to be difficult to go straight from unhealthy eating habits to healthy ones. But there is a way to write affirmations so that they steer our focus towards healthier options. For example:
I only consume healthy, nutritious meals.
I only fuel my body with health-promoting foods.
I remember to put smaller portions of food on my plate.
I only eat snacks that are barcode-free!
I only crave foods that empower my health.
I effortlessly remove fat from my body by eating only fat-free foods.
Water is my favorite beverage!
Just remember: When using affirmations, don't inadvertently put the emphasis on what you are trying to get rid of or move away from.
Always affirm the positive instead!
