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Mental Health
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
By Sarah Regan
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.
Tips to keep in mind August 03, 2022 We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. Whether you're dealing with stress, need a confidence boost, or simply want to give yourself a pep talk, positive affirmations are a powerful tool for tapping into your subconscious and rewiring your thoughts. And since you can choose any affirmation(s) you want, they're a great option for everyone—even kids! Here, we unpack what makes positive affirmations so helpful, plus provide over 70 affirmation examples to get you started.How positive affirmations work.
Positive affirmations are phrases that are meant to uplift and inspire you to be your best. As psychiatrist Anna Yusim, M.D., previously explained to mbg, affirmations involve repeating a self-selected phrase (or series of phrases) "that embody who we would like to become" (i.e.,I am peaceful).
The more you work with your affirmation, the more the positive thinking can aid in self-improvement, as they help to transform negative thought loops and patterns. "[Affirmations] work primarily at the conscious level, whereas many of our conflicts about ourselves and our sense of adequacyare within our subconscious or unconsciousmind," Yusim explains.
"They work even better when accompanied by some honest internal reflection and some deeper internal work that gets to the subconscious or unconscious level," she says, adding that it's also important to take concrete steps to create the changes you're affirming. "Together, with honest self-reflection and concrete action steps," she notes, "positive affirmations can be a wonderful part of one's behavioral change regimen."
Ready to get started working with affirmations? Here are dozens of ideas, tailored to different situations.
Positive affirmations for stress:
- I am peace, peace is within me, peace is all around me.
- I release all fear that tried to tell me I should be somewhere different.
- In this moment, I am safe and secure.
- I am willing to see love available to me in this experience.
- All contrast brings me clarity.
- I am present.
- I need only focus on right here, right now.
- I am relaxed and calm.
- I can get through difficulties.
- I'm doing my best.
- I am more than my job.
- I am enough.
Positive affirmations for self-care:
- I offer myself rest and relaxation.
- I am deserving of my own love and care.
- I take care of my mind, body, and spirit.
- I make healthy choices.
- I know how to take care of myself.
- I can help others when I help myself first.
- I care for myself because I love myself.
- My self-care is a priority.
- My peace matters.
- I treat myself as I would a dear friend.
Positive affirmations to use in the morning:
- I am well rested.
- My body is powerful.
- I am excited for this day.
- I am so grateful to be alive.
- I love myself.
- I'm going to have a great day.
- I am open to opportunities.
- Today and every day I am blessed.
- My life is abundant and fulfilling.
- I am committed to my personal growth.
- Every day I am better than before.
- No challenge is too great for me.
- I am energized.
- I wake each morning with a smile.
- I feel so alive.
Positive affirmations for confidence:
- I am strong.
- I am capable of overcoming anything.
- I am resilient.
- I always overcome obstacles.
- Nothing can stand in my way.
- I can get through hardship.
- I believe in myself.
- I am a wonderful person.
- My confidence and self-esteem are high.
- I know my worth.
- I love who I am.
- The people in my life love and support me.
- I am deserving of what I desire, and I will achieve it.
- I radiate confidence.
- I make decisions that support my highest good.
- I am courageous.
- I learn and grow through difficulty.
- I always pick myself back up.
- I am powerful.
- I will press on and go forward.
- I release what no longer serves me.
- I am adaptable.
Positive affirmations for happiness:
- I am proud of myself.
- I am happy and healthy.
- I am living with purpose.
- Every day is a gift.
- I am full of joy.
- I feel at peace.
- I am positive.
- I love being alive.
- Every day I embody the best version of myself.
- I'm surrounded by love.
- My life is abundant.
- I have everything I need.
Tips to keep in mind.
One of the beautiful things about affirmations is they're super easy to work with, and you can choose ones that speak to you—whether you found them on a list or you made them up yourself. To that end, it's important to opt for affirmations that really resonate with you and the person you want to be.
As spiritual author Shannon Kaiser tells mbg, "there's no need to overthink the affirmations; it's more about the energy of how they feel when you speak them."
For example, if you're looking to find your soul mate, and the affirmation, "My soul mate is coming to me right now" isn't exactly resonating, you could change it to, "I am full of and worthy of abundant love now." "So you massage the affirmation into a vibration that feels good and can be true right now," Kaiser explains.
And speaking of, well, speaking, it can be incredibly empowering to say your affirmations out loud to the universe whenever you think of them. Kaiser actually recommends writing them down on sticky notes and placing them where you'll see them throughout the day (i.e., on your desk or mirror) as a helpful reminder.
From there, we'll go back to Yusim's previous point about pairing your affirmations with self-reflection and actionable steps. After all, you can say "I am wealthy" all you want, but without reflecting on your relationship with money or taking steps to improve your financial wellness, not much is going to change.
And the point of affirmations isn't to magically cast a spell on your life but rather to start shifting you into a more positive mindset so you're better able to take aligned steps toward what you're seeking.
The takeaway.
Repeating positive affirmations, mantras, and meditations are all great ways to prime the brain to make a change. It can be easy to get caught in negative thought loops, but with a few personalized and empowering affirmations (paired with some honest self-reflection), you can slowly but surely start to unlearn and reshape those patterns.