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Positive Thoughts and Affirmations | Chronic Pain Support Group

ByMara Gerke Last Updated

Positive thoughts or affirmations can help you move away from negative, unproductive thoughts and help you make positive changes in your life. These changes can help you reach your goals and most likely feel better. It’s true that many of us tend to focus on the things we can’t do. We even focus on the things we don’t like about ourselves. This is a negative way of thinking that often does affect our emotions.  When you are sick and don’t feel good and start focusing on what you can’t do and start comparing what you used to be able to do, it reinforces negative feelings and can create emotions of anger and fear.

positive thoughts or affirmations

The mind-body connection is how our thoughts and emotions are actually connected to how we feel, physically. Stress and difficult emotions influence the nervous system and can affect your sleep, digestion, muscle tension, and how you experience pain.

This doesn’t mean that negative thoughts cause chronic pain or that positive thoughts or thinking can make it disappear. Chronic pain is very complex. But learning how to manage stress, our emotions, and our response to difficult situations can be one part of managing our pain.

So, as I always say, wouldn’t you rather focus on love and happiness instead of fear and anger? Fear and anger don’t really do your body good!

Focusing on Positive Thoughts

So, a good exercise would be to begin creating positive thoughts or affirmations leading to positive emotions. When creating these thoughts, it is best to write them in the first person using “I” or “I am,” and that you write them in the present tense, and of course they should be positive. Remember, positive thoughts are not to avoid or not accept the concerns in your life; they are to provide a brighter light when dealing with them.

Begin focusing on what you can do and what you are willing to do to improve your situation. Focus on the things you like about yourself and your strengths. Take time today and make a list of 5 things you CAN do, 5 things you LIKE about yourself. Also, focus on the things you love and the things that matter most to you. When you write these down, you can create your affirmations and can use them daily.

Please know that I am not minimizing the effect chronic pain has on our lives. I am trying to offer a different perspective and another way to deal with it. We are where we are, and we all know we didn’t choose it. What I do know is that I would much rather focus on feeling calm and peaceful. To focus on what I can do. To surround myself with the people and things that I love because time is precious.

So remember to focus on positive thoughts. How you talk to yourself can influence your outlook, how confident you feel, and how you approach challenges.

So the next time you find yourself thinking, “I can’t handle this,” try thinking and saying this to yourself: “This is hard, but I am going to focus on taking it one step at a time.”

I found a couple of things you might want to look at.  Louise Hay, the author of “You Can Heal Your Life,” has a website full of affirmations and meditations that many have found helpful when trying to focus on more positivity.  You can also check the App Store on your phone for Positive Thoughts or Affirmation apps. If you want to learn more about living with chronic pain, check out our Living with Chronic Pain resource center.

Key Takeaways

  • Positive thinking isn’t about ignoring your thoughts and feelings; it’s about trying to make your day brighter.
  • Thoughts and emotions can influence your stress, mood, and how you cope with your pain.
  • Positive thoughts or affirmations should be used as another tool in your toolbox to help you move away from negative and unhelpful self-talk.
  • Remember to focus on what you can do, the strengths that you have, and what matters most to you.
  • On difficult days, focus on talking to yourself like you would your best friend. Realistic, but compassionate. These types of thoughts may be more helpful.
  • Chronic pain is complex, and your mindset is only one part of a whole-person approach.

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