Most of us have experienced moments of self-sabotage in our lives, times where we are perfectly able to achieve something but decide to not try because we feel inadequate. There are times when we sabotaged romantic relationships due to insecurity, or when we sacrifice our mental health by letting our brains be filled with negative thinking instead of daily positive affirmations.
The most important thing to remember is that there is a way out of this negative mindset that is very simple and can be practiced every day for lasting effects. Thanks to our brain’s neuroplasticity it is possible to completely change our thinking towards positivity.
Scientific research done on self-affirmation points to 1) benefits in mental health, 2) decrease in anxiety and stress, 3) increase in self-confidence, and 4) even increases the chances of a successful rehabilitation from nicotine addiction according to a paper from the University of California.
That’s because the human brain can be very receptive to repetitive thought, so constant negative thinking can slowly turn you into a more negative person. Alternatively, searching every part of your brain for a positive aspect after a difficult day can slowly turn you into a strong and resilient person.
To test the effects of positive affirmation on yourself, you can start by practicing it every day for 30 days and see how you feel afterward.
This article includes the best list of 101 positive affirmations for you to unlock your potential with a more positive life.
1. I’m making a positive difference in the world around me.
2. I am surrounded by people who love me.
3. I appreciate everything my body does for me.
4. I am a beautiful person.
5. I feel proud of myself every day.
6. I refuse to be controlled by bad habits, I will take back control of my life.
7. I am so happy and grateful for the good things that happened this year.
8. There is a place in this world only I can take.
9. I fill my body with nutritious and healthy food.
10. I keep my body and mind active and healthy.
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11. I am very productive in my work/school.
12. I am allowed to grow and learn from mistakes.
13. My mind is brilliant and full of creativity.
14. I know and accept who I am entirely.
15. I trust myself and my decisions.
16. I am at peace with myself.
17. I create a positive and safe environment around me.
18. I accept my emotions and recognize their purpose.
19. I trust my intuition and follow my inner voice.
20. I continually use my talents to help others.
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21. I am becoming the person I’m meant to be.
22. I am comfortable with my body and personality.
23. All I can do is my best.
24. I do my best every day.
25. I deserve to be surrounded by positive influences.
26. I am responsible for my own happiness.
27. I am responsible for my own life.
28. I live in the present, accept the past, and embrace the future.
29. I am grateful for being alive.
30. I have fulfilling relationships with those close to me.
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31. I develop my mental strength every day.
32. The best is yet to come.
33. I am allowed to ask for what I need and want.
34. I’m open but I have boundaries.
35. I’m healing at my own pace.
36. My perspectives and opinions are valuable.
37. I deserve to be heard.
38. I am a helpful and productive person.
39. I can control my response to adversities.
40. I’m always prepared to deal with obstacles should they arise.
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41. I celebrate the good qualities in others while being secure in myself.
42. I cherish moments of silence and can thrive while being alone.
43. I forgive myself.
44. I refuse to change my essence to please others.
45. I am open to every opportunity to grow.
46. Both my strength and vulnerability are beautiful and embraced.
47. My main job is taking care of myself with love.
48. I am a positive influence on my loved ones.
49. I release my shame and free myself.
50. Only my heart and mind know the right way for me.
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51. I uplift myself and others.
52. I respect myself.
53. I refuse to stay in darkness and suffering, I’m healing and will recover.
54. I invite love, generosity, and acceptance.
55. I give myself time to process grief when necessary.
56. I have patience with myself.
57. I release the anxiety and stress that doesn’t serve me.
58. I live at my own pace and reject competition.
59. I will compare myself to who I was yesterday, never to others.
60. Another person’s beauty does not negate my own.
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61. My body and mind are wonderful in their current state.
62. I love my home and keep my space clean.
63. All of my problems have solutions.
64. When I speak my own mind I receive respect.
65. I’m going to make today worth waking up for.
66. I feel contentment and whole at this moment.
67. I value all of my achievements, even the small ones.
68. I’m worthy of recognition for my work and effort.
69. There is no shame in recognizing my mistakes, I’m only human.
70. I never let others distract me from my goals.
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71. I never let others dictate my truth.
72. I organize my activities and priorities with clarity.
73. My mind is clear to make appropriate decisions.
74. Creativity flows from me and to me.
75. Today is the start of the rest of my life.
76. I am in charge of my own destiny.
77. I woke up refreshed and ready for this new day.
78. I will peacefully detach myself from those who have wronged me.
79. I am too strong to let other people’s negativity affect me.
80. I commit to my dreams and won’t give up easily.
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81. I am a problem solver.
82. My future is bright.
83. I put all of my energy into what matters to me.
84. I am capable of making the world a better place.
85. I am calm and happy.
86. Today was a great productive day.
87. I choose to let go of my worries now so my mind can rest.
88. All I need is within me.
89. I can inspire people through my work.
90. I am intelligent and accomplished.
91. I’m in awe of the progress I’ve made.
92. I will let go of negative thoughts towards others, I will let karma do its job.
93. I will let tranquility fill my soul and wash away my anger.
94. I have confidence in myself.
95. I will let go of things I can’t change.
96. This rocky path is only a small portion of my life.
97. I radiate beauty and strength.
98. My hard work will pay dividends, I will receive back what I’m putting out.
99. I will master self-kindness and take better care of myself from now on.
100. Following my inner voice and intuition keeps me out of trouble.
101. I build my inner strength more and more each day.
Make Your Own Affirmations
You may not identify with every positive affirmation at the moment, but the point is to repeat these sentences and truly believe your words, that way you can train your brain into feeling more positive in general. With practice, this will become second nature and you will be able to change the way you face problems in your life.
It’s also possible to make your own positive affirmations by writing down on a piece of paper all the negative thoughts you have throughout the day, then cross it out and write the opposite sentence next to it. For example: “I’m overwhelmed at work/school, I will never be able to finish all my tasks” can be changed into: “I have plenty of time to do my best work today, I accept that all I can do is my best”.
Now Take Action
Try to have a 5-10 minutes self-affirmation routine every day for a month and write down in a journal the changes you’ve noticed about yourself, your mood, and your thinking. It’s also important to try and interrupt negative thoughts whenever you notice them coming, and replace those with more neutral or beneficial ones.
Positive affirmation is not a magical solution to problems and it does take time and work to accomplish great results but improving your mental state every day should be a priority for everyone in difficult times.
