Anna O'Neil on the Value of Micro-affirmations

"Growing up, whenever I couldn’t find my dad he'd invariably turn out to be in the shed, surrounded 'by sawdust, making something interesting - baseball bats, pennywhistles, chess pieces. And he'd be listening to the guys on sports radio. But when he'd look up from the belt sander or table saw and notice me in the doorway, he'd always, almost automatically, reach over and switch the radio off. Even if I didn't have anything to say, and even if I wasn't planning to stay.

"Even as a 10-year-old, I understood this was a gesture of love. He was making space for me. He was offering me his full attention, even if I wasn't looking for it.

"The term 'microaggression' is used to mean all kinds of things, but its most general, colloquial use refers to a subtle slight that you make, maybe unintentionally, that nevertheless sends a clear message of disrespect. Microaggressions can really sting. (I'm remembering the boiler repairman who remarked, 'I don't usually explain things to wives.' Ouch.) 

"My father was doing the opposite. Switching the radio off when I walked in was a 'micro-affirmation.' It may have been small, but it conveyed something huge: you matter to me."

In a recent commentary, writer Anna O'Neil reflected on the value of micro-affirmations.

To access her complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Anna O'Neil: How to practice micro-affirmations (12 JAN 19)