Making the Best of AFFIRMATIONS by The Pained Ink Slayer

Celeste’s Photography in Spring Devotions©

                                      

“Words of affirmation are powerful.

Words change lives; words and ideas change the world.”
― Bryant McGill

Affirmations are powerful. They tweak perceptions and provide light in the darkness of chronic pain and chronic illness. Following are tips for writing these personal tidbits that promote positive direction.

HOW AND WHY AFFIRMATIONS WORK

A study in March of 2017 investigated “whether patients’ expectation to pain reduction was associated with pain intensity after morphine treatment in opioid treatment-naïve patients with various types of cancer.” What they found is important to understanding how our perceptions affect our ability to cope. Patients with high expectations that morphine would ease their pain had a significantly lower pain intensity experience. Measurable evidence in this study supports the notion that when we expect good, we do better. And that's where affirmations come in. Changing our internal dialogue can have a powerful effect on the way we cope with pain. 

WHAT AFFIRMATIONS DO

·        They encourage positive thinking.

·        They help us express our gratitude.​

·        They present us with purpose.

·        They incite change.

·        They create positive self-awareness.

·        They set examples.

·        They touch our spirituality.

·        They empower us.

·        They connect us to all living things.

EXAMPLES OF AFFIRMATIONS

·        I have no duty to be perfect.

·        I always have options.

·        I am not my mistakes.

·        This is a learning experience.

A few of my personal affirmations

·        Let my spirit be filled with the melody of joy.

·        I embrace detours; they take me to undiscovered places.

·        If I listen closely, I hear the sweet sound of human interaction. 

·        I am sick, I am sexy, I am sixty-ish; I am a scud missile; don't mess with me.

·        I choose my words well and create a voice for the benefit of others.

TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR OWN AFFIRMATIONS

·        Write them as thought they are happening now.

·        Affirm what you want.

·        Keep them short and easy to remember.

·        Keep your favorite affirmations written where you can see them frequently.

·        Personalize them with words such as, I, my, me.

·        Start with thought provoking words that you typically use in your daily life and focus on the goal.

o   I am...  

o   I hear...

o   I see…

o   I feel…

·        Make it positive with words like:

o   grateful

o   smile

o   thank

o   forgive

o   inspire

o   promote

·        Put motion to them with verbs:

o   create

o   do

o   make

o   give

o   follow

o   seek

·        Commit yourself to one affirmation at a time and read it frequently.

* If you have favorite quotes, pick key phrases that bring you in and write it from your personal perspective.

"Defeat is a possibility of try, but to quit scars the soul."

Celeste Cooper, Fall Devotions

​Grab your pen, pencil or keyboard NOW!

Additional Reading:

Pained Ink Slayer Series: Avoiding Lockdown

An autumn overview for Coping with Chronic Pain and Illness

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

“To unleash victory, I must have an open mind and willing heart, judge not, embrace change, and be a steadfast observer of self.”

  

Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Musings of Pain from Celeste – Part One

As many of you know, my husband and I spend as much time as possible enjoying nature. I personally use this time to reflect on things that bring me peace, which is especially helpful during difficult times. Spending time in the forest allows me to immerse myself in the things I enjoy, photography and writing.  I find the simplicity of life's treasures to be the most comforting.

What a privilege to have wonderful people like you who support my writing. Without knowing it, you lift me up and for that, I am grateful.

 

About the Book

A Sampling of Musings from Celeste - Part One

·        It’s a Battlefield: Bruising and Fibromyalgia

·        Fact or Fiction: Chronic Pain Is Always the Same

·        Looking for a Pain Doctor - Finding the Best Fit

·        When Fibromyalgia Is More than Pain        

·        10 Fast Facts: Fibromyalgia Is Real 

·        Images from the Heart: Unfettering Chronic Pain by Celeste Cooper

·        ​Medical Marijuana – Q&A with Sue Rosen, RN, Legal Liaison

·        Hiding in the Shadow of Migraine

·        Chronic Pain and Medicine Philosophy Cornucopia - Slide Show

·        Rolfing – The Most Up-to-Date Info from Expert, Ann M. Matney

·        Sinus Inflammation, Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS

And more …

From my blog

Written from the heart

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter & bleed.”

~ Ernest Hemingway

In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Steep Drop-offs: Nagging Pain and Our Sixth Sense by Celeste Cooper

Nagging pain and our sixth sense, are you in touch with your body? Do you listen when your body talks?

Playing to Our Sixth Sense

A sampling of topics found in  Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Spring Devotions

• Listen to what our body has to say.
• Identify new activities, medication, food, or disrupted sleep pattern that could be contributing to our pain.
• Surrender to our sixth sense.
• Know the “yeast beast”.
• SAM-e?
• Sort the mail of our mind.
• Identify and pay attention to perpetuating factors.
• Keep our candles burning?
• Know our body and mind stress signs.
• Surrender is not an option.
• Hellerwork?
• Kindness is an antidepressant.
• Medication safety and reporting.
• Plan-Implement-reevaluate.
• Watch out for steep drop-offs.
• … and much more.

"This, the last of Celeste and Jeff's four seasonal devotions books, may just be the best of all. From its practical suggestions to its inspirational quotes and photos, Spring Devotions offers chronic pain sufferers daily bite-sized, easily digestible tidbits that educate, encourage and empower us to take control of our health and our lives. And as someone who likes to jot down personal thoughts in my devotionals, I especially appreciate the extra space for notes. All in all, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit…: Spring Devotions is a valuable asset for anyone living with chronic pain."

~Karen Lee Richards, Editor-in-Chief, Pro Health

Balancing Chronic Pain in Spring

I thank our readers. It is through your encouragement that I am sustained and lifted up daily. Every time I read a particular quote, a comment from you, a research article or advocacy piece, I think of you!

In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Inspiration for Reclaiming Control over Pain and Illness

A Beholding Forest©

A respite in the Rockies is something my husband and I have enjoyed for thirty-five years and since we are in our sixth and seventh decades of life, we are grateful to have done it yet again. It’s a marriage retreat of sorts, a time to appreciate my husband’s hard work, allowing me to use my photography to escape into the bowels of majesty.

I feel an intimacy with nature, wild flowers coloring the landscape, wild animals outside our RV door, rainbows that astound us and pink sunsets that devour our sensibilities. I am touched by my husband’s desire to find joy in something I love. My soul is awakened when I hear these words…

Come quick; grab your camera!

Young Buck Innocence©

Early fall makes itself known in the mountains where summer is short. The aspen’s are beginning to turn and as their  leaves shudder to meet the sun’s rays, I am reminded that the warm days of summer will soon give way to crisp chilly air that awakens the season of harvest and preparation.

Chronic pain and illness dictates that we adapt to change. But, unlike nature’s beings, it isn’t always instinctive. I know I need daily reminders on how to apply the things I learned when writing our first book  (with contributions of my co-author, Jeff Miller, PhD).

Fall is looming and change is upon us. Find out how you can adapt as nature does by using the daily tips in the Fall Devotions edition of the book series. If you already have the book, it's time to get it out and re-explore. I suspect you will see things from a different perspective this year, and you will learn something new to share.

Find detailed information at CelesteCooper.com:  

• About ​Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain, FALL DEVOTIONS
• Table of Contents
• Endorsements - Inside the Cover

  

September is pain awareness month and a busy one for those of us who advocate for balanced affordable care for everyone. My greatest desire as an RN is for patients to have choices. It’s empowering to reclaim control over the thing we can change, and I hope you find Fall Devotions helps you do that.

Here’s to a colorful and hearty fall season.

Available:

Amazon in paperback 

Kindle version 

Amazon UK Kindle 

Amazon Canada Kindle 

Barnes and Nobel paperback 

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

A Spring Metaphor - Sculpting Our Thoughts on Pain

Though we have an idea of what to expect, spring unfolds differently. This year, we saw new records, and new challenges. In some places, spring came early and gave us a countryside bursting with color and new life, while other places are experiencing a late winter. This change and unpredictability is a metaphor for those of us who live with pain and chronic illness.

Our thought seedlings give life to our spirit and allow us to see challenges as motivators. But, some storms rock the earth beneath our feet. As a migraineur, spring storms throw me to the floor and knock the wind out of me. However, when I stand up again with my partner, challenge -- I will lead; I will rumba in a new direction and thank the spring storm for its nourishment to the earth and for providing me promise of new life. 

I find great strength, comfort, and diversion through poetry and photography, and I am thankful that I have found ways to fill up my thought spaces by writing for others who share this journey with me. The following photo and poem are excerpts from Spring Devotions in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series.

               Day 4 – Learning to Rumba to Rumbles

To Rumba with the Universe

by Celeste Cooper

Twinkles of light rumba across the morning dew,

While butterflies dance in the wind.

Tumbleweeds glide across the earth's open fields,

Blown away in time to explore a new path.

Fear cleansed by rain exchanged for the joy of freshness,

The sky opens, the sun bumps against clouds.

Renewal of spirit, the earth in cadence with my wits,

All in rhythm, as if, I rumba with the universe.

Thought Seedlings

Do you rumba? Do you like the name I gave the photo? What would you name it?  

Take a stab at changing up my poem to make it yours. My poems are not perfect, I share them so my readers know they can also express feelings and touch a sense of self. 

"Imperfection is relatable." 

Lauren Conrad

Tell me what you think in your comments, because I love to hear how it speaks from your heart to mine. In healing, Celeste

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Learn more about what’s between the covers of Spring Devotions book edition here. http://www.celestecooper.com/spring-devotions.

Thank you to our readers for your kind thoughts and uplifting reviews of Spring Devotions in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain Series. Too all our new readers, welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615958664/

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Transforming the Pictures of Our Mind

In my last blog, The Setting, the Shutter, and the Power ofResolution, I talked about my 2015 New Year’s resolution. It's about translating 35mm film photography to my new digital SLR camera. The blog is more than that though; my story is a metaphor that unveils the face of opportunity when we are faced with the challenges associated with living with chronic pain and illness. 

A Universal Language

Most of you reading this blog know I am a writer of self-help books. If you have read any of the four books in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series, co-authored with Jeff Miller, PhD, you know each day offers an exercise or a tidbit of information to inspire new ways for managing daily challenges. Each day begins with a picture chosen to convey a feeling on the topic at hand. They are positioned to do one of two things, reflect on our own treasured moments, or provoke us into action. A photojournalist knows the impact images have on him or her personally and in the hearts and minds of everyone who sees them. The language spoken through photography is universal.

“A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside it, 

for it lay in our language and language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably.”

― Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations

The Influence of a Title

Titling a picture seems like such a simple thing. However, it has a powerful impact on how the photo speaks to us and it provides infinite possibilities for bringing life into focus. While my title may be different from yours, it still reflects a personal journey and allows us to explore our feelings. You don’t have to be a photographer to do this.

Exercise:
Find a favorite photo, name it, and then write a few words about the feelings it brings to surface. You might not remember the date, or even the circumstances surrounding the photo, but you will remember how it made you feel.

The power of photos is evident; they have become a visual experience that is shared across social media. When our emotions erupt, we find camaraderie as human beings. We can share our journey, photographer or not, the connections are universal.

Looking Beyond Clouds

The Embodiment of a Pain Advocate.

This picture is from Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain, Winter Devotions. I chose this particular photo for day sixteen, "Advocating for Pain” to represent several things. Living with chronic pain and illness can cloud our judgment. It can bring about tumultuous feelings, and sometimes cast a shadow over our desires. But, it’s more than that to me. This picture also represents a ray of light in the darkness, the promise of a bright sky, and treetops that lift our spirit upwards. For me, the telephone lines represent the connection and power we have to make a difference through advocacy. So, ad hoc, after the fact, I shall name this picture, “The Embodiment of a Pain Advocate.” 

What would you name it, and why?

Unchain Your Imagination

Experts tell us the power of a photo transcends all generations. So, next time you come across a shared photograph think outside the box. Take a moment; be flexible in your thinking.

Years ago in an effort to raise my endorphins through laughter, I began a photo journal of animals. I saved them for my personal enjoyment and I named them something that would spark the laughter that became buried by pain and illness. I resurrected my inner goofiness through laughter and photographs.  

We are born with an imagination and when we use it wisely, we loosen the grip chronic illness can create. Unchain your imagination. Share the creativity that lives within you.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog.