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What about the message that these affirmations convey? Let's take
a look at a few of them:
"Every day in every way I'm getting better, better and better."
- Really? That's miraculous! I thought everybody has bad days?
"Everything is coming to me easily and effortlessly."
- Whatever happened to "Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"
?
"Everything I need is already within me." - Now that is
impressive. Most people have to learn new things all the time.
"I love and appreciate myself just as I am." - Well now
I do feel bad, because there are some aspects of me, like laziness,
that I really don't like at all, let alone love!
"I love doing my work, and I am richly rewarded creatively
and financially." - How about, "some of the time I love
doing my work, and at other times it's a chore, but I've made a
commitment to do it, so I'm going to stick at it" ?
"I always communicate clearly and effectively." - My self
esteem is dropping lower by the moment. Some mornings the only person
who can understand me is the dog.
"My life is blossoming in total perfection." - Oh, stop
it will you?
"It's okay for me to have everything I want." - And more
seriously, that's just downright dangerous. Impulse control is a
vital part of mental health. A lack of it can lead to addiction,
risky behaviour and violence.
So, does my criticism of positive thinking and affirmations
make me negative?
No, not according to optimism tests. I'm about as optimistic as
they come apparently. (Phew!)
I think that positive thinking affirmations can be bad for your
mental health. And the reason why I have described above. You can
make up your own mind whether you agree with me.
The alternative is to learn how to be optimistic; a realistic, usable
way of thinking that will bolster you against mental ill health,
help you enjoy life more, and actually improve your chances of having
a successful life. Why? Well for one, because pessimists give up
when optimists keep going. But that's another article...
Back to Personal Development articles
Related: Learned Optimism - a groundbreaking book, and not a positive thinking affirmation in sight!
