The role of Affirmative Refactoring in managing emotions.

Emotions are an integral part of our human experience.

They influence our thoughts, actions, and well-being. However, not all emotions are pleasant or helpful. Sometimes, we may experience negative emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, or guilt that interfere with our happiness and productivity.

How can we cope with these emotions and prevent them from taking over our lives?

One possible solution is affirmative refactoring, a unique technique developed by innovative coach Daria Trutneva. Affirmative refactoring is a method of identifying and transforming limiting beliefs that cause negative emotions. It combines elements of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy and psychoanalysis to help users change their perspective and behavior.

According to the method, limiting beliefs are often formed in childhood as a result of traumatic or stressful experiences, and they are stored in our subconscious mind. These beliefs act as filters that distort our perception of reality and create self-fulfilling prophecies. For example, if you believe that you are not good enough, you may avoid taking risks, seek external validation, and sabotage your own success.

“Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.” - Mayo Oshin, The Science of Positive Affirmations

To change these beliefs, this technique proposes a six-step process:

1. Problem formulation. This stage involves thinking about and verbalizing the problem. The user clearly articulates the essence of the problem.
2. Transforming the problem into an ideal situation. Here a specific goal is set and an ideal scenario is created that the user wants to achieve.
3. Take responsibility for solving the problem. The user takes responsibility for solving their problem, which activates their internal locus of control.
4. Looking for an internal cause and hidden benefit. In a psychoanalytic approach, the user finds the inner cause of their problem and the hidden benefit they derive from its existence.
5. Formulate a belief. This stage involves the explicit formulation of the belief underlying the problem.
6. Work with the belief. The most important stage is to change the belief. This is done using a special transformation text that combines the techniques of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and systematic desensitization. At this stage, the user plays the transformational text aloud, which activates the process of forming new neural connections and weakening old ones. At these moments, users often feel emotionally tense.

Affirmative refactoring is based on the psychophysiological foundations of belief. Daria Trutneva explains that beliefs are not just abstract concepts, but they have a physical manifestation in the brain. Beliefs are encoded in the form of neural networks that fire together when activated by stimuli. The more often a belief is reinforced, the stronger the neural connections become. This is known as Hebb’s rule: neurons that fire together, wire together.

“Affirmations are self-generated thoughts that have the potential to influence emotional and motivational processes. They can be used to cope with stress, improve performance, and promote health and well-being.” - David Creswell, Affirmation of Personal Values Buffers Neuroendocrine and Psychological Stress Responses

However, this also means that beliefs can be changed by altering the neural connections. This is where affirmative refactoring comes in. By exposing the user to a new stimulus that contradicts the old belief, the neural network is disrupted and weakened. This creates a window of opportunity for the user to replace the old belief with a new one that is more positive and supportive. This new belief is then reinforced by repetition and emotional attachment, creating a new neural network that fires together. This is known as neuroplasticity: the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new connections.

Affirmative refactoring is a powerful technique that can help users manage their emotions and overcome their limiting beliefs. By combining elements of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, affirmative refactoring helps users to understand the root cause of their problems, take responsibility for their solutions, and create new beliefs that support their goals. Affirmative refactoring is not only a tool for personal development, but also a way of life that promotes positive thinking and self-empowerment.