10 Positive Affirmations For Healing Chronic Illness

Chances are, you’re familiar with positive affirmations. These are a form of positive self-talk using phrases to help establish and reinforce a positive mindset in ourselves and our lives. A very simple example is “I am loved,” but you will soon discover through this exercise that positive affirmations can be as detailed and specific as you want them to be.

Using positive affirmations for healing was a big part of my healing process, because for me I felt like it was necessary to alter my belief systems about myself and my interaction with the world around me.

For instance, instead of thinking I was a selfish person, I worked hard to reframe this by saying to myself, “I am giving” or “I enjoy giving to others.” Or instead of the broken record in my head that believed there was something seriously and fundamentally wrong with me, I used positive affirmations to help myself see that I am perfect just the way I am. 🙂

This activity can go a long way when healing autoimmunity and other chronic illnesses or chronic pain, as I’m convinced that the severity of our illnesses is directly proportional to how good we feel about ourselves (and that there are emotional meanings behind autoimmune conditions).

So today I want to explore positive affirmations that can be used for healing chronic conditions. We’ll also match these with conditioned beliefs so that we can understand why these specific affirmations can be so impactful for those of us with autoimmune conditions (the results from my Personality Theory Survey taught me a lot about common struggles and patterns we face as a group!). Here we go:

Conditioned Belief: I’m not good enough.

Counter-attack Affirmations: People love me and I know that I am enough.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: I’m always sick.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I am happy, healthy and whole. My body is strong and I am safe within it.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: There’s something wrong with me.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I trust myself and know that all is well within me.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: Life is hard.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I approach life with ease and grace, and am open to learning new lessons along the way. I give thanks for the blessings I receive each day.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: Bad things always seem to happen to me.

Counter-attack Affirmations: My life is clear of obstacles and I believe that good things happen to me because I am a good person who deserves it.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: I don’t deserve to be happy.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I am a good person and I deserve to be happy. I am love.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: I feel out of control.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I am in tune with my inner self and I know that I have the power to change my circumstances. I have the power to create my own reality.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: Nobody likes me.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I am safe, I am loved. People enjoy spending time with me. My heart is full of love.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: I’m afraid and I am weak.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I am free of worry and each day I grow stronger and more relaxed.

———————————–

Conditioned Belief: I am miserable / I am depressed.

Counter-attack Affirmations: I find light within my life at every turn, and know that I am protected by something greater than myself. I am happy and joyful.

———————————–

As you can see, what we’re doing is reprogramming our “autoresponders” and our conditioned belief systems. These belief systems are often deeply rooted in our psyche, and they chip away at our core well-being until illness or physical pain presents itself. Doing activities that can help reverse these negative belief systems is something that I’ve seen a great deal of success with my personal coaching clients and as mentioned, in my own healing path.

I’d recommend choosing 2-3 pairs of these beliefs + affirmations that really resonate with you, because that means your body and mind are ready to receive them. You may revisit this list in a few months and others will stand out to you, which means you are ready to do some additional work. But start with 2-3. Choose these and say them to yourself at least 3 times per day…but the more the better! Extra points if you say them to yourself while looking in the mirror.

Finally, I’d like to leave you with one of my favorite long-form affirmations, written by author Toni Carmine Salerno:

I bless my past and I’m grateful for every experience,
for every experience has helped me expand my
understanding of love
My life is forever unfolding as it should
The past, the present and the future are one
I honor and respect my feelings and emotions, for they
are part of my story

Let this sink in, and feel the healing taking place. I hope that you can begin to see that everything happens for a reason, and that this healing process is just part of our journey.

If you could, let me know in the comments what you think of these affirmations and if you’ve ever tried using affirmations in your healing practice. I’d love to hear your thoughts!