Everyone faces anxiety to some degree, so developing strategies to cope, manage, and alleviate it is essential for taking back control of your life. In this post, you’ll find 25 affirmations designed to help soothe anxiety and empower you to reclaim your life.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is an intense, excessive, and persistent worry and/or fear about everyday and/or future situations. Common symptoms of anxiety are fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and feeling tired or fatigued. Anxiety is an extreme feeling of being overwhelmed, stressed, and drained. It feels like your heart is going to explode and at any moment the floor will crumble.

Many know anxiety all too well and have been struggling for a while. For some, anxiety is new and you may have just realized that what you are feeling is anxiety. Whether you have a history of anxiety or just beginning, it is frightening and overwhelming no matter what stage you are currently in.

What are Affirmations?

Simply, affirmations are phrases you say out loud or think to yourself. In detail, affirmation defined means the act of affirming. Hence, when you say or think a phrase repeatedly, you are affirming that it is true. These phrases can be positive or negative. Obviously, negative affirmations make you feel bad whereas positive affirmations make you feel amazing. For example, repeating “I am dumb” will make you feel sad whereas repeating “I am smart” will make you feel happy. To make it more specific to this topic, repeating “I am not good at anything and I am a failure” makes you feel sad, stressed, and anxious; however, repeating “I am learning how to be better and because of that, success follows me” will make you feel happy, powerful, and inspired!

Why and How Do Affirmations Work?

We are about to get scientific in this explanation of why and how affirmations work so put your thinking cap on! First and foremost, you must understand the bundle of neurons in your brain that carries important subconscious thoughts to your conscious mind. These neurons are your Reticular Activating System (RAS). This system filters out unnecessary information so that only the essentials make it to your conscious mind. Basically, your RAS delivers subconscious thoughts to your conscious mind. Therefore, the repetition of positive affirmations will train your RAS to filter through positivity as essential information.

Not only does the Reticular Activating System (RAS) filter essential information, but it also seeks proof to validate that information. In other words, when you repeat a phrase, your RAS seeks out supporting evidence to connect to the original thought. For example, if you’re repeating “There are no obstacles that I can not overcome.”, your RAS will recognize proof to validate that statement such as solving a problem rather than putting it off or letting the problem win. Your mind will begin to highlight positive situations while dimming negative ones and because your mind will be so focused on the positive, MORE positivity will come – LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE!

Affirmations to Ease Anxiety

Although anxiety feels like a hole that is impossible to climb out of, trust me when I say, escape is possible. It all comes down to your commitment to healing, after all, only YOU can put in the work so the only way to heal is by actually taking action. I know firsthand that when anxiety levels are high, all you want to do is hide away BUT that does not HELP…it only makes it worse. Take baby steps toward recovery and acknowledge your progress when you have accomplished even the smallest task.

A good starting point to easing anxiety is to change how you think and that’s where affirmations come in. Anxiety stems from negative thoughts, so shifting your thoughts into something positive is a great way to counteract the feeling of anxiety. Practicing affirmations specifically targets the part of your subconscious brain that ultimately controls how you consciously think. Practicing affirmations that go against your negative and anxious thoughts is an effective way to shift your inner narrative and ease anxiety.

25 Affirmations to Ease Anxiety

1. I am safe and in control.
2. This too shall pass.
3. I am strong and resilient.
4. I trust myself to navigate through this.
5. I am capable.
6. I take things one day at a time.
7. I inhale peace and exhale worry.
8. This feeling is only temporary.
9. I am loved and accepted just as I am.
10. I am enough just as I am.
11. I love and accept myself.
12. I forgive myself and let go.
13. I am free from the past and embrace the present.
14. I am doing my best, and that is enough.
15. I release fear and welcome peace.
16. Wherever I go, I am well.
17. I can handle whatever comes my way.
18. I am safe and protected.
19. I trust the journey of my life.
20. I trust myself to handle hard situations.
21. I can make my safe space with my intentions and values.
22. I am capable of achieving my goals and living the life I desire.
23. I am resilient and have the strength to overcome any obstacle.
24. I am worthy of love and respect, just as I am
25. I treat myself with kindness and compassion, and I know that I deserve the best that life has to offer.

Final Thoughts

Practice these affirmations every day to ease anxiety and heal…remember, it only works if YOU work it! Stay patient and positive to watch yourself blossom into the best version of yourself!