Affirmations, once scoffed at by the western medical establishment, are now widely recognized as an effective way to help manage anxiety and stress. Affirmations have even been proven in a clinical setting to help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and provide relief from pain.
Affirmations For Anxiety
The following is a list of affirmations to help ease anxiety, and stress and improve the overall quality of your life. Affirmations are short statements made in the present tense and can be used in several situations.
I love myself
This affirmation is a good one to use when you need to boost your self-esteem or find yourself feeling down on yourself. It’s important to remember that you are a person worth loving, a person worth taking care of, a person worth investing in, and a person worth spending time with.
You are as worthy of love as anyone else on the planet.
I know that I am doing my best
I know that I am doing my best, and I trust that my best is more than good enough.
I know that it’s okay to take a break from everything and do what I need to do for myself.
I am not responsible for other people’s expectations of me or their feelings. I am only responsible for living up to my own expectations and honoring my own feelings.
I trust that my higher self wants what is best for me
Sometimes our brains can trick us into thinking we need to be in control of EVERYTHING. Remind yourself that your higher self (the part of you that is always connected to the universe) has your best interest at heart and wants what is best for you!
I have the power to overcome my anxiety
You are stronger than you know. You may not think it, but you have the power to overcome your anxiety. While those with anxiety have experienced a lot of pain, growth and transformation is possible. By learning to recognize the signs of anxiety, identifying its roots, and applying these tips, you can overcome your anxiety.
There are many ways to cope with anxiety at the moment. For example:
- Connecting with friends and loved ones (in-person or via phone/text)
- Taking a walk in nature
- Watching an episode of a favorite TV show or listening to music that brings back positive memories
It is safe for me to release this anxiety
It’s safe to feel anxious. Anxiety can feel like an overwhelming feeling when you’re first beginning to work through it, but it’s a natural reaction to being in a new and potentially frightening situation, like moving into your first apartment or starting university.
It may not seem logical, but the thing about anxiety is that it comes from within—and you can get past it.
To release your anxiety, remember that you are safe (in your home), and just breathe in and out. The answer often is an easy one: focus on the present moment.
Nothing else is important except what’s happening right now. Exhaustive worrying about possible dangers coming your way won’t help you; what really matters is figuring out how to move forward next with your life plan intact, which means finding ways to cope with the things you cannot change right now (like finishing your school coursework).
The feeling of release comes not only when you’ve worked through all the tough bits but also when a situation has passed and you’ve moved on smoothly.
A little bit of anxiety helps me focus and perform well
A little anxiety can help you focus and be your best. An anxious person might have the edge over someone who is fearless, at least in certain situations.
If you’re feeling a bit anxious, it might mean that your body is gearing up to give you the energy and focus you’ll need to perform your best.
The trick is to not let the anxiety get out of control. If it gets too high, it will interfere with various cognitive functions like memory and reasoning.
Some people are able to use their anxiety productively without having any trouble focusing or staying on task; others will find that their focus and productivity suffer as their anxiety increases.
When you feel a bit of anxiety stirring, try using this as an opportunity to hone in on the task at hand by reminding yourself about what’s motivating you to achieve it or how good it feels when you do. This way, instead of seeing anxiety as a hindrance on your path towards achieving something great, think of it as a motivator!
This is just a thought or feeling, and it will not harm me
When we experience anxiety, the physical symptoms can cause us to catastrophize and believe that our anxiety is a dangerous problem.
I realize that this affirmation probably isn’t going to persuade your brain not to panic in the middle of an episode.
But I hope it might help you remember that, even when you’re experiencing intense discomfort, panic is just a thought and will not harm you.
If you want a little more brain training on this subject, I recommend reading or listening to The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris (who coined the term “monster in your head”) and The Mindful Way Through Anxiety by Susan M. Orsillo.*
All is well in my world and I am safe
You have so much to be grateful for. Your family, your friends, your health. You have the ability to change how you feel at any moment by using affirmations.
An affirmation is a positive statement that you can use to change the way you think and feel about a situation or circumstance in your life.
When you speak affirmations about yourself, you are speaking directly to your subconscious mind and creating new neural pathways with each repetition of what you say and feel.
An affirmation is usually said out loud or repeated in the mind over and over again until it sinks into the subconscious mind and becomes part of one’s belief system.
All is well in my world and I am safe.
Today I will focus on all the good in my life
To build your self-worth, think about your strengths. Also, remember the good things in your life. If you have anxiety, it can be easy to focus on what makes you anxious and forget about everything else. If you are having a hard time, consider talking to someone you trust or getting some exercise.
Another way to boost your self-esteem is by doing something nice for someone else. Try volunteering with a local organization or helping out a friend. You might also try keeping a journal to record the good things in your life. Or maybe start a new hobby, such as knitting or painting!
You may also want to join an anxiety support group. That way you can talk with people who are going through similar challenges and share coping tips that work for you.
I feel more relaxed with every breath I take
Anxiety is a common condition that many of us live with. The good news though is that there are ways to help reduce anxious feelings, and one of those ways is by practicing deep breathing or abdominal breathing.
Breathing exercises can be done anytime, anywhere and they don’t require any special tools or equipment. In fact, you can practice them right now!
All it takes to begin your own deep breathing practice is to breathe in deeply through your nose for 4 counts, hold the breath for 4 counts, exhale through your mouth slowly for 4 counts, and then hold your breath again for another 4 counts before inhaling again.
If you’re feeling extremely anxious while doing this exercise (which may happen), then keep the ratios the same but use shorter time frames (i.e., 3 seconds instead of 4) until you feel ready to move up.
You’ll also want to make sure that your posture is correct so sit up straight or lie down on your back with legs uncrossed and palms facing upward if possible because when we’re tense our bodies tend toward more rounded positions which will only serve to increase anxiety levels rather than decrease them!
I calm my nervous system by taking deep breaths.
Deep breathing, when you do it right, can have a huge impact on your mental health. It’s essentially free, and you can practice it anywhere. In fact, I recommend carving out 5 minutes of your day to just focus on breathing!
In the article “The Benefits of Deep Breathing for Anxiety,” psychologist Sarah B. Wetter explained:
“There are many benefits that come from deep abdominal breathing. The first is that deep abdominal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) which is responsible for the ‘rest-and-digest’ response in our body. This is the opposite response to the sympathetic nervous system which creates the ‘fight-or-flight’ reaction in our body when we have anxiety.”
If you’re interested in giving this a try but don’t know how to start, here are some exercises:
People can see how hard I’m trying even when they don’t say so
You may not always receive the recognition you deserve for your hard work. Sometimes, despite all your efforts, people won’t even notice how hard you’re trying – and that’s okay!
Self-validation is just as important as external validation, so remember to practice self-care and be proud of yourself regardless of whether other people recognize your efforts or not. Nobody can control how others react or respond to their actions, but they can control themselves.
If you feel like others aren’t noticing how much effort you put in, try putting in extra effort to make sure that they do see what you’re doing.
My inner peace is my power
Nurture your inner peace and it will nurture you. Be careful of the words you say to yourself because your mind believes them — especially the ones you repeat over and over again.
If they are negative, they will bring your own energy down.
From a weary soul, words like “I can’t” or “this is too hard” come easily. But if the words are positive, then your energy will rise and you will be more full of life and capable of anything that comes your way.
Being aware of the power of thoughts is important because anxious thinking patterns tend to run automatically in our minds.
We have spent so much time worrying about what could go wrong that we have forgotten how to live with calmness and confidence. It’s time to change that!
My anxiety won’t stop me from achieving my dreams and goals.
Struggling with anxiety is frustrating, but you’re not alone. Everyone has anxieties, and yours shouldn’t stop you from achieving your dreams. Anxiety can be helpful, discouraging us from doing things that may be dangerous or bad for us.
However, it can also be debilitating: preventing us from doing good things and stopping our success in its tracks. Acknowledge that your anxiety isn’t the real problem; it’s just trying to help you by pointing out the potential dangers of what you want to do.
Instead of letting your anxiety control your life, identify the root causes of your anxieties and tackle them head-on so that they don’t stand in the way anymore!
I choose to feel good about myself every day.
You can use affirmations as a powerful tool to help you manage your anxiety. To do so, simply choose an affirmation that is meaningful for you, repeat it to yourself throughout the day, and take note of how your body responds. Although you might notice some immediate benefits from practicing affirmations, keep in mind that it takes time and practice to truly feel the effects.
Affirmations are most effective when they are repeated regularly to yourself. You can find lots of positive statements online or create one on your own! As long as it feels good for you personally and isn’t hurtful or harmful for anyone else, it works.
To make affirmations most effective:
- make sure they feel right for you
- using “I” makes them more impactful than using “you”
- think of them as a commitment rather than a hope
Even when things get tough, I stay grounded and centered.
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of a problem, and when you do, it can be hard not to feel overwhelmed. Instead, focus on the present moment. Remember that no matter how difficult the situation is right now, it will likely improve with time.
There were many moments before this one that you got through just fine, even though they seemed impossible at the time. You have gotten through difficult situations in the past, and you can get through them again now. You are loved and supported by others who care about you and want to see you succeed.
You can overcome your anxiety because you are stronger than it is
Anxiety can be a difficult thing to come to terms with, but remember that it doesn’t have to be permanent. You don’t have to let it be a part of your life forever—you can overcome it, and the only way you’ll do that is by proving that you are stronger than it is.
You are so very capable of overcoming your anxiety, but only if you believe in yourself. Remember that your strength lies within you, and if you make a habit of repeating positive affirmations about anxiety every day, your mental health will see the benefits.
The key is to make a habit out of reminding yourself of how strong you are. You can do this by creating positive mantras for yourself or reciting effective affirmations for anxiety whenever you feel overwhelmed by fear or worry. Whatever method works best for you!
The important thing is just to make sure that at least once a day, if not more often than that, you connect with your inner strength and remind yourself how much of an impact it has on your mental stability and resilience against negative thoughts and feelings.
