Soothe Your Lonely Feelings With Acceptance and Positivity

I am kind. I am smart. I am important. It might sound like I’m bragging, but I assure you I’m not—I’m just practicing some positive affirmations! Have you ever heard of these? They’re basically positive statements or phrases that you say to give yourself a boost of confidence. And once you get into the habit of practicing these affirmations (which I’m trying to do right now), you reap some pretty awesome benefits, including…

• Improved self-esteem
• Greater focus and determination
• Better relationships
• Improved mood

These all sounds pretty great—but there’s one topic of conversation I left off the list because it ties into each of the above items. I’m talking about the effect positive affirmations have on feelings of loneliness and isolation. Because this practice improves our self-esteem, determination, relationships, and mood, those lonely feelings start to dissipate. You no longer feel insecure about spending some time alone or, on the other hand, hanging out with some friends. Because you’re a new and improved you, all thanks to those uplifting statements you’ve been telling yourself.

Does this sound like something you could get used to? I thought so! Milana Perepyolkina has written a book all about the power of affirmations and she’s here today to help you kick off your journey with this uplifting practice right now. Just follow her tips below:

1) Pick a positive word and expand on it.
First, make it a point to choose fun, positive words. “Pick any positive word—for example, excitement,” she says. “Now, find as many related words as you can: elation, delight, pleasure, enchantment, ecstasy, bliss thrill, and even seventh heaven! Start using a variety of positive words any chance you get. I am delighted to see you! I am thrilled! I am in seventh heaven!”

2) Put “happy” sticky notes around the house.
Next, jot some of those words down on sticky notes for you to find later. “Write several ‘happy’ words on pieces of paper and place them in different parts of your house. Marvelous, miraculous, spectacular splendid, fabulous, breathtaking, remarkable, luminous. You will accidentally find them and smile,” Perepyolkina explains. “The Romani language is very colorful and expressive. It is full of idioms, metaphors and blessings. You will often hear phrases such as, ‘Warm-hearted word is better than an expensive present,’ and, ‘Let your health last one hundred years.’ This is a powerful use of language as everyday speaking and it enlivens conversations.”

3) Revert your negative thoughts using positive affirmations.
It’s time to put the former two exercises to the test, and utilize all that positivity to combat the negative. Here’s a list of affirmations that Perepyolkina says will come in handy when your mind drift into those negative thoughts:

• The universe sends me a generous gift every day.
• I am the healthiest person on Earth!
• I enjoy every second of my life.
• I deserve the best in this wonderful world.
• I choose excitement and magic in my life.

4) Incorporate these affirmations into your everyday.
Now that you’ve gotten some practice in, you can work on using these affirmations in your day to day life. “Sing your affirmations when you are jogging, when you are driving, when you are doing dishes. Know that it is up to you to add magic to your days and nights. Affirmations work better when you say them out loud. In the beginning, you will feel silly saying things like, ‘I am the healthiest person on Earth,’ especially if you are currently sick. But just give it a try. The results will amaze you.”

5) Escape the confines of your mind.
Be sure to channel this positivity into the world around you as well. Don’t just keep the affirmations in the confines of your mind: “If you can’t find a place where no one will hear you, whisper your affirmations or write them down on a piece of paper. Saying them in your head is not as powerful because if you think, ‘I am happy,’ your mind may say, ‘No, you’re not.’ The mind is impressed by action. I dare you to go into the forest and scream as loud as you can, ‘I love my life!’ Then, compare it to saying it in your head. You will notice the difference in your body and soul.”

6) Repeat.
And finally, repeat. Keep on keepin’ on. Run through the above steps and continue to improve your overall wellbeing with positive affirmations. “In the very beginning, you don’t have to believe in what you are saying. Just repeat the affirmations,” Perepyolkina says. “You will become an expert once you say an affirmation knowing that as you say it, so it is. Words you are thinking and speaking create your life,” she concludes.

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