What Are Daily Affirmations?

Affirmations are short statements that are either positive (“I am healthy and happy”) or neutral in tone (“Possibilities are endless”) but never negative. Affirmations are statements that allude to goals you wish to achieve or are positive, encouraging statements to help remind you that you’re on the path to success. Working toward a goal can be hard work, and setting daily affirmations can be a great way to assess how your needs change over time, given what you’ve achieved so far.

Daily affirmations work to create optimism and hope and, when repeated consistently, can help us feel more empowered and in control. Daily affirmations can also help us build confidence and realize that our dreams are achievable. They've even been shown to improve mental and emotional health.

How do daily affirmations help?

Believing something will come true often increases the chances that it will. Optimism and positive thinking often lead to enhanced well-being and other positive outcomes. Daily affirmations offer a constant reminder of what you’re capable of and what you deserve. Staying focused on our wants and desires can help turn those ideals into reality.

Daily affirmations are a form of self-care, and many people find including a daily affirmation practice to be an easy add to their self-care routine.

40 Examples of Positive Affirmations

For Love and Relationships

1. I deserve love in abundance.
2. I am loved, loving, and lovable.
3. I am in a loving and supportive relationship.
4. I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends.
5. I surround myself with positive, supportive people.
6. I am worthy of the love I desire.
7. My wants and needs in a relationship are valid.

For Personal Growth

1. I am becoming the best version of myself.
2. My possibilities are endless.
3. I have the freedom and power to create the life I desire.
4. I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally.
5. I’m doing my best, and that is enough.
6. Every day is a chance to start fresh.
7. Wherever I am on my journey is where I’m supposed to be.

For Success

1. I deserve success.
2. I am open to future opportunities.
3. I trust in my ability to make good decisions.
4. My actions create constant prosperity.
5. Success comes to me easily and effortlessly.

For Health and Well-being

1. I am worthy of a healthy body.
2. I deserve to be healthy and feel good about myself.
3. I honor my body by trusting the signals that it sends me.
4. I accept myself the way I am.
5. I am grateful for my feelings and emotions.
6. My health may fluctuate from day to day, and that’s okay.

For Every Day

1. I grow and improve every day.
2. I treat myself kindly and with compassion.
3. I am grateful for the things I have in life.
4. My life is full of potential.
5. I deserve peace and joy in my life.

For Managing Stress and Anxiety

1. I can handle whatever comes my way.
2. I can tackle any problem one step at a time.
3. I can control my breath.
4. My anxiety does not define me.
5. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

For Manifestation

1. I attract positive things in my life.
2. I radiate good energy into the world.
3. I am capable of achieving great things.
4. Everything in my life is happening for me, not to
5. My goals and dreams are within reach.

How to Practice Daily Affirmations

Affirmations work best when repeated often, working to build your confidence and belief in their power. Here are five tips for practicing daily affirmations:

Say them out loud.

IIN grad and Health Coach Ellen White recommends saying daily affirmations aloud. “Affirmations are best said out loud, for about five minutes, at least three times a day.” White encourages others to vary the affirmation depending on what they’re hoping to achieve that day, including any specific challenges they’re facing.

Use present and future tense.

Keep your affirmations clear and simple by using present and future tense statements, including “I am,” “I do,” and “I believe.” Using these instead of the past tense focuses your mind on the moment and what you’re able to still do rather than on things that may have already occurred.

Practice with your reflection.

It might feel silly at first, but practicing with your reflection can help trick your brain into believing that you’re speaking to another person. Words of affirmation are one of the five love languages, and they apply to your partner just as much as they apply to you.

Keep it positive.

Although daily affirmations can be neutral, many people opt to have their affirmations be more positive. Thinking positive can translate to positive results. Studies support the idea that the words we choose matter ‒ positive affirmations can help you combat stress and improve brain health.

Find meaningful affirmations.

The affirmations that apply to you and your situation may not be effective for others, and vice versa. Finding affirmations that work for you is key to finding success in using them. Everyone is different – remember that there are no right or wrong affirmations.

The Bottom Line

Daily affirmations, while no substitute for mental health professionals, can help when you're experiencing anxiety or depression ‒ and many people swear by the power of uplifting language. Working with professionals like therapists and Health Coaches can help establish goals that daily affirmations assist in achieving.