15 Affirmations for Anxiety

Alright y’all, let’s talk affirmations. What are they? 

Affirmations are kind of like mantras, phrases you can repeat to yourself to manifest what you want to see either in yourself or in the world around you. And when we feel anxious, affirmations can provide a soothing alternative to the often critical, catastrophizing voice that usually comes out. Even if the affirmations don’t feel completely true, by repeating them, we’re training our brain to use a more compassionate and rational voice, rather than that critical voice. Over time, you may find that you do eventually begin to believe the affirmations.

Okay, but are they always so… positive? 

This is the part where I venture away from many of the other resources out there, because I’m here to say NOPE, they don’t have to be super positive to be helpful. In fact, in my experience with clients who struggle with low self-esteem, ultra-positive affirmations can actually have the opposite intended effect. Affirmations like “I am enough” and “I accept myself” simply don’t work for everyone. If you don’t accept yourself right now, you’re not going to want to repeat this phrase over and over again. And I’m a firm believer of meeting my clients where they’re at, so I don’t force these kinds of affirmations on them. Instead, I’m a fan of affirmations that 1) acknowledge the journey that my client is on, including whatever difficult emotions they’re struggling with, and 2) balance that with hope for positive change.

Here are 15 sort-of-positive affirmations for anxiety!

1. I allow myself to feel my emotions and that makes me a stronger person.

2. I am working on my anxiety and I give myself compassion when I struggle to overcome it.

3. I do not have to face anything alone and I am able to utilize my support system to help me through difficult times.

4. I can accept this situation for what it is and acknowledge what I may learn from this experience.

5. I can choose which situations are worthy of my attention, focus, and energy.

6. I am aware of the way my body feels in this moment and I have the power to do what my body needs to calm down.

7. I am aware of my anxieties and I can choose when and how to face them.

8. I am capable of dealing with this even if it is difficult.

9. I am free to let go of others’ judgments.

10. I acknowledge that although I feel anxious and uncomfortable, I am safe and not in danger.

11. I have overcome other challenging experiences and can overcome this one too.

12. My past experiences don’t define what can happen in my future.

13. I acknowledge that I cannot control this situation but I can control how I choose to respond to it.

14. I give myself permission to experience and honor my emotions, and then let go of them.

15. Even when my anxiety feels strong, I am capable of soothing myself.

Using (sort-of?) positive self-talk to alleviate anxious thoughts can be a powerful tool, especially when combined with other coping skills that target the physiological sensations of anxiety (using deep breathing to slow your heart rate, for example). As you become more aware of anxious or intrusive thoughts, you can practice replacing them or challenging them with affirmations. While positive self-talk isn’t an immediate or perfect “cure” for anxiety, it can help calm your distress AND teach your brain that we don’t tolerate this anxiety BS. I recommend keeping a journal where you can list different affirmations, or using post-its somewhere where you can see them (such as a mirror or closet door) so you remember to practice them. 

So, do you have any affirmations that you like to recite to yourself?