How’s Your Self-Talk Going These Days? The Power of Affirmations

Posted by: Michele Tracy Berger on: May 6, 2020

• In: creative writing | creativity | writing
• Leave a Comment

Self-talk is important. What have you been saying to yourself about your writing these past few weeks, or months or even years? Most of us use negative internal language in relation to our creative lives. In last month’s Chatham County Line column I shared how in 2016 a daily affirmation practice changed my life. If you were a reader of the blog in 2016, you may remember this endeavor. Coaches, psychologists and other mental health providers now routinely advocate the use of helpful and positive self-talk. My piece is called “Fruits of a Daily Affirmation Practice”. Here’s a snippet below. I hope you check it out.

I loved making nice images for my affirmations using Canva

The Fruits of a Daily Affirmation Practice

 

Feeling worthy is a learned behavior. —Beverly McIver, visual artist

 

In 2016, I committed to a practice that changed my creative life.  I posted an original affirmation every day on my blog, The Practice of Creativity, from January 1-December 31.

What are affirmations?

 There is a great secret which successful writers and creators from all backgrounds use – affirmations. That’s right, affirmations, phrases that affirm our work and value. And, they help us direct intention into our work. And, they can work for you. Many psychologists, mental health workers and coaches advocate the use of affirmations.

 An affirmation is a short, simple, positive declarative phrase that as Eric Maisel says, in Coaching the Artist Within, “you say to yourself because you want to think a certain way…or because you want to aim yourself in a positive direction.” You can use them as ‘thought substitutes’ to dispute self-injurious thoughts (as a cognitive behavioral approach), or to provide incentive and encouragement when those seem to be in short supply. Affirmations rewire our assumptions about what’s possible.

The imposter syndrome is a universal one among writers. Established writers can have bouts with it as often as emerging writers. We combat it through affirmations, having a writing community and persisting.

In 2016 what I needed as a writer was lots of practice in self-kindness, plain and simple. I had craft, discipline and perseverance in spades. Many creative people struggle with simply being self-accepting. As you know, we can think the meanest things about ourselves. I don’t know of any writer who hasn’t felt like giving up on their writing dreams. I don’t know of any writer who couldn’t benefit from helpful, kind self-talk on a regular basis. Anxiety, unhelpful self-talk, and inner critics often stop us before we can even get to our projects.

…

https://chathamcountyline.org/pdfs/CCL.april20.web.pdf

 

Your invitation still stands, click here to get your ‘Ten Ways to Keep Connected to Your Writing Self during COVID-19’.

Tags: affirmations, Anxiety, creative writing, creativity, fiction, fiction writing, inspiration, positive psychology, productivity, self-talk, the imposter syndrome, the writing life, writers, writing, writing affirmations, writing prompts