How to Use Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are essentially positive or motivating statements we tell ourselves in order to cope, or shift our mindset.

These statements can be helpful as it can help change our often habitual, negative self-talk and enable us to be a better inner coach to ourselves. They can also serve as reminders during difficult or stressful periods that encourage us to better cope.

Positive affirmations do not necessarily have to be statements that we “should” believe—for example, telling ourselves that we are an amazing person, when we do not really believe it. Depending on your goal or purpose of your affirmations, they can simply be helpful reminders, or statements that resonate more as truth for you but still provide encouragement (i.e., “I am human and therefore imperfect” or “I give myself permission to make mistakes”).

In crafting your affirmations, it’s important you have those that do resonate with you. When you pick your affirmations, or create your own, repeat them by reading, saying them out loud, or journaling. When used often and regularly, positive affirmations can aid in changing our mindset little by little, as how we encounter daily life builds our ultimate attitude toward life and bigger events that do occur.

Below are a few examples of positive affirmations:

I’m trying the best I can with what I know and have at this moment.

I am open to learning the lessons life wishes to teach me.

I allow myself to experience joy and peace in my life.

I trust my intuition.

I am deserving of a good life.

I deserve healthy love relationships.

I’m becoming a better person every day.

Each day I do the best I can. Today is no different.

Even if I make mistakes, I’m still a good person.

I can still be nervous or anxious, and still deal with this situation.

I’ve survived other situations like this before, and I’ll survive this one too.

Although this situation is difficult and uncomfortable, it’s only temporary.

Every setback has within it an opportunity for me to learn.

I can use my coping skills and get through this.

All feelings are impermanent—as uncomfortable as this moment is, it will not last.

This is an opportunity for me to learn how to cope with my fears.

I’m strong enough to handle what’s happening to me right now.

It’s okay to take a moment and breathe.