40 Best Positive Affirmations for Anxiety Relief

Technological innovation has brought wonders to this modern world. It made all our lives easier, more efficient, and better in many ways. From international travel, smartphones, remote work, and more, human beings have reached new heights and we have no plans in stopping.

We are wired to multitask on all the issues in our daily life. With the fast-paced environment around us, we fail to see its effects on our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects in life.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders which affects millions of people globally.

One of the ways to relieve anxiety is by doing positive affirmations. Positive affirmations work by repeating phrases or mantras to rewire your brain and have a calming and soothing effect. When repeated over and over again, you slowly change your way of thinking and belief.

Like any effective hobby, positive affirmations for anxiety can only work by doing it repeatedly every time you feel anxious or stressed. The beauty of this training is that it knows no boundaries and is limitless.

You can choose any positive phrases and mantra that you want to use depending on the situation that you are in.

In this article, we will talk about what is anxiety, what are affirmations, and the best positive affirmations that you can use for anxiety. Read on to learn more.

What is Anxiety?

A few decades back, anxiety was considered as a healthy emotion to environmental stimuli, but with more and more people experiencing it and knowing its real effects, it’s not considered as a potential behavior disorder that has negative emotional, physical, and mental results.

According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes”.

It’s a “fight or flight” response that can produce sensitivity to our surroundings, increased heartbeat, worry, fear, sweating, apprehension, and excessive worry.

People have begun to develop other worries related to authoritarianism, climate change, and terrorism as we are continually assaulted by twenty-four-hour news outlets.

A wise man once said that we all inherit our parents’ concerns, which reveal themselves in how we respond to triggers or trauma.

Anxiety is not the same as being apprehensive before a public presentation, an interview, an imminent flight, or a wedding. Anxiety, if left untreated or undetected, can develop into a disorder that has a significant impact on a person’s life.

What are Affirmations?

As we’ve mentioned above, affirmations are positive mantras or phrases that, when repeated, can replace challenging and negative thoughts. Affirmations are quite simple to use and allow the person to build their own statements to address a specific scenario or problem. 

Of course, underlying illnesses and triggers will still persist, but affirmations can help people with anxiety ease mental and physical symptoms right away, and there is a science to back it up.

Affirmations are linked to self-integrity, self-efficacy, and self-identity, according to a 2014 article by Cohen and Sherman. Neurological research was driven by psychological investigations to see if self-affirmation caused any changes in the brain.

Several studies have shown evidence that affirmation practice increases the activity of particular brain networks. It becomes more active, assisting in the analysis and deconstruction of potentially dangerous data.

Affirmations can help people reduce stress, increase academic achievement, reduce anxiety and fear, change their way of living for the better, respond more positively to frightening signals, and improve physical activity.

How Positive Affirmations Work

Affirmations can be uttered once or twice a day, but some experts recommend saying them three to five times a day because the person will enjoy the advantages faster and the thoughts indicated in the phrase will stay in the mind.

You can write them on cards to be carried or on post–it’s to be posted throughout a certain environment.

The affirmations will be more effective if you read, speak, and repeat them. They’re made to promote cheerful, positive sentiments, thoughts, and attitudes. Because the affirmations have no spiritual or religious connotations which means that they can be used by anybody.

Instead of stressing about the future or berating yourself for the past, focus on being present. If any harsh or negative words or thoughts come to mind, make a note of these situations and then write affirmations to counteract them.

When choosing positive phrases and mantras to use, make sure that it encourages you, it’s short and easy to repeat. Also, try to figure out what triggered the insulting self-talk and what caused it. 

If you’re using affirmations to help you get through anxiety attacks, you might incorporate positive thoughts of what helps you get through them. Also, stress your successes, facts, and strengths.

Best Positive Affirmations for Anxiety

Here are the best positive affirmations that you can use every time you feel anxious and stressed with your environment.

1. I’m safe and under no threats from the world.
2. My past experiences can’t stop me from succeeding in the future.
3. I choose to always react positively to all situations.
4. As I relax and slow my breathing, anxiety flows out.
5. There’s no obstacle that I can’t overcome.
6. Stress is evaporating from my mind and body.
7. I’m connected with the environment and comfortable right now.
8. I control my mind, and it will never control me.
9. I can overcome anxiety using my inner strengths.
10. I’m capable of persevering and remaining strong.
11. I focus my energy on my values, not my anxiety.
12. I am not in danger; I am just uncomfortable; this too will pass.
13. I have the strength to move beyond my anxiety.
14. I cultivate inner calm.
15. I have survived my anxiety before. I will survive now.
16. It’s only a thought, and a thought can be changed.
17. I forgive myself and set myself free.
18. I cross all bridges with joy and ease.
19. I’ll overcome the situation if I remain courageous.
20. I got the power to prevent this.

Best General Affirmations

Of course, you can also use positive affirmations not only if you’re feeling anxious, but also to improve your day-to-day thoughts. Here are the best general affirmations that you can repeat every day:

1. I choose to be happy.
2. I am a successful person.
3. I love myself.
4. I am doing the best I can.
5. I believe in myself.
6. I am resilient; I will get through this difficult time.
7. I am confident in everything that I do.
8. I am strong. I am brave.
9. I look forward to a happy and bright future.
10. I am safe.
11. I am greeted by love everywhere I go.
12. I do not have to prove myself to anyone.
13. I forgive myself in my past for all perceived wrongs. I release them with love.
14. It is safe for me to speak for myself.
15. My happy thoughts help create a healthy body.
16. I am loved, I am at peace.
17. I love and approve of myself.
18. I am in the process of positive change.
19. I forgive myself for not being perfect.
20. I am in charge of how I feel and today I am choosing happiness.

Proven Ways of Using Positive Affirmations to Relieve Anxiety

The words you use to describe events in your life frequently generate feelings of happiness or sadness in you.

This is a fact that explains why affirmations can help you live a stress-free existence. Anyone who wishes to forget terrible life events must replace negative ideas with the most optimistic affirmations possible.

Here are the 3 proven ways how you can use positive affirmation to relieve your anxiousness:

1. Preparing for Stressful Events

Everyone, including you, has gone through a hard period in their lives. Such moments occur during public presentations, when working on difficult jobs, and when working on unplanned initiatives at work. Anxiety is difficult to manage at such stressful times.

Positive affirmations, on the other hand, are sufficient for preparing for such situations because they will keep you in good shape to face any crisis. Anxiety can be difficult to manage during stressful situations such as public speeches.

Even if you consider feigning illness or ignoring the event, this can have negative consequences for your job.

Here are some positive affirmations that you can use when you’re under a stressful situation:

• If I take deep breaths, it’ll soothe me before the presentation.
• I’ve done many public presentations before, and I’m still able to do this one as well.
• When it’s over, I’ll be proud of my work.
• During my last presentation, every person applauded my work.
• If I decide to do it, it’ll get more comfortable along the way.

2. Replace Negative and Unhealthy Thoughts

To be successful with positive affirmations, you should be able to regulate your thoughts. This is an important lesson to learn because once you have control of your mind, you can immediately stop all negative ideas.

Instead of allowing negative thoughts and fear to fester in your mind, you can take steps to rectify the situation by reorganizing your thoughts.

Here are some steps that you can do to replace the negative and unhealthy thoughts to positive ones:

• First and foremost, you must put an end to any negativity that enters your head. Rather than thinking to yourself, “I’ll seem silly if I go to the party alone,” instantly correct yourself. Such notions are neither proper nor useful, and they will simply agitate your mind. Make a decision to move forward in a positive manner.

• Continue to remind yourself that other people will be arriving, and they still expect you to be present. Simply tell yourself that you’ll have a great time and that most of your colleagues and friends will be there. These thoughts will have a significant impact on your thinking.

• It is critical to have mental control in order to think firmly and make well-informed decisions. As a result, think of the vast list of positives that can emerge from the same situation every time a negative and unhealthy idea gets into your head. Boost your spirits and make the decision to move forward!

3. Try to be Realistic

Remember to be rational at all times, no matter how optimistic your thoughts are. When you start thinking about doing something you aren’t ready to accomplish or don’t have the resources to do, you will become stressed. 

Failure is, in most cases, more stressful than not attempting at all. In short, when affirmations are realistic, they will yield amazing outcomes. Remember that positive thinking might go too far, therefore it’s critical to keep your cool.

When positive thoughts and thinking become unrealistic, the subconscious mind recognizes that the thoughts are unrealistic, which can lead to increased worry.

Most worry arises when you convince your brain that you are capable of accomplishing impossible feats, and then you fail miserably.

Conclusion

When your thoughts start to wander and eat you up with negativity, repeat positive affirmations in your head by saying them aloud.

Even though you’re still starting your way through this practice, you’ll notice the difference in your thoughts and actions slowly. Being consistent is one of the best and fastest ways for you to see results.