Do you need an additional tool to make you feel better, challenge negative thoughts, or build confidence? Positive affirmations can help you find a better mental space. It’s a positive statement that you deliberately repeat to yourself, and it’s essentially a form of positive self-talk.
The idea behind affirmations is that by consciously repeating positive statements, you can gradually shift your mindset and self-perception. They’re used in various contexts—from personal development and therapy to athletic training and stress management. Research suggests affirmations can be beneficial when they’re realistic, personally meaningful, and used as part of a broader approach to wellbeing rather than as a standalone solution.
So, I’ve prepared a list of 150 positive affirmations for mental health, to help you deal with negative emotions and generally feel better about yourself and the world around you.
General positive affirmations for mental health
Here are 50 practical positive affirmations for mental health.
- I am safe in this moment.
- My feelings are valid, even when they’re uncomfortable.
- I can handle this one step at a time.
- I don’t need to be perfect to be worthy.
- This feeling will pass.
- I trust myself to cope with challenges.
- I am allowed to rest without guilt.
- My mind can learn calmer patterns.
- I am more than my thoughts.
- I choose progress over perfection.
- I deserve kindness, especially from myself.
- I can pause before reacting.
- I am doing the best I can with what I have.
- My anxiety does not define me.
- I am allowed to set boundaries.
- I can let go of what I can’t control.
- I am resilient, even when I feel tired.
- My thoughts are not facts.
- I can ask for help when I need it.
- I am learning how to care for myself.
- I am grounded in the present moment.
- I don’t need to have everything figured out.
- I am allowed to feel joy without fear.
- I can breathe through difficult moments.
- I am growing, even when it feels slow.
- I treat myself with patience.
- I can survive hard days.
- I trust my ability to adapt.
- I am worthy of peace.
- I release self-judgment.
- I can choose thoughts that support me.
- I am not broken; I am human.
- I give myself permission to heal.
- I can create small moments of calm.
- I am allowed to take up space.
- I don’t need external validation to be enough.
- I can be present without fixing everything.
- I am learning to feel emotions safely.
- I respect my limits.
- I can start again at any moment.
- I am proud of myself for continuing.
- I choose compassion over criticism.
- I am capable of change.
- I can feel discomfort and still be okay.
- I am allowed to move at my own pace.
- I trust the process of healing.
- I am supported, even when I feel alone.
- I can build a calmer inner voice.
- I deserve mental clarity and peace.
- I am enough, exactly as I am.
Morning routine affirmations
Now, here is the list of positive affirmations that you can repeat in the morning to imrpove your mental health.
- Today, I choose calm.
- I start the day at my own pace.
- I don’t need to rush.
- I can handle what comes.
- I choose focus over stress.
- I am grounded and present.
- I trust myself today.
- I allow ease into my morning.
- I begin with intention.
- I am capable today.
- I choose clarity.
- I am open to good moments.
- I don’t need to be perfect today.
- I start fresh.
- I respect my energy.
- I move through today with balance.
- I give myself patience.
- I choose progress, not pressure.
- I am prepared for today.
- Today is manageable.
Night routine affirmations
This is a list of affirmations to help you end your day with gratitude and release negative emotions and tiredness.
- I did enough today.
- I release today’s worries.
- I am allowed to rest.
- Tomorrow can wait.
- I let my body relax.
- I release what I can’t control.
- I am safe to sleep.
- I forgive myself for today.
- I slow my thoughts.
- I deserve deep rest.
- I let go of tension.
- I am grateful for making it through today.
- My mind can quiet down.
- I release expectations.
- I choose peace tonight.
- I trust tomorrow will come.
- I allow my body to recover.
- I welcome rest.
- I end the day gently.
- I am calm and ready to sleep.
Positive affirmations for anxiety
Positive affirmations can be really helpful if you suffer from anxiety, as they can help stop overthinking, keep you in the present moment, and give you space for positive self-talk. Here are some statements you can repeat when you feel anxious.
- I am safe right now.
- I can slow my breathing and my thoughts.
- This feeling will pass.
- I don’t need certainty to feel okay.
- My thoughts are not facts.
- I can tolerate discomfort.
- I am in control of my response.
- I choose calm over worry.
- I can ground myself in the present.
- I trust my ability to cope.
- I don’t need to solve everything today.
- My body knows how to calm down.
- I release tension with each breath.
- I am stronger than this moment.
- I can let thoughts come and go.
- I am allowed to pause.
- I am not in danger.
- I choose reassurance over fear.
- I can focus on what’s real right now.
- I am okay, even if I feel anxious.
Positive affirmations for loneliness
Loneliness is a valid feeling, and to give yourself additional support, you can repeat some of these statements.
- I am worthy of connection.
- I am not invisible.
- Feeling lonely doesn’t mean I am unlovable.
- I can be alone without being abandoned.
- My presence matters.
- I am enough, even in solitude.
- I am allowed to need connection.
- I can reach out when I’m ready.
- I am not alone in feeling this way.
- I am open to meaningful connection.
- I can give myself compassion right now.
- This moment does not define my life.
- I am valued, even when I feel unseen.
- I belong somewhere, even if I can’t see it yet.
- I am connected to others in ways I may not notice.
- I can build connection step by step.
- I deserve companionship.
- I am patient with my journey.
- I am allowed to feel lonely and still have hope.
- I trust that connection will come.
Positive affirmations for burnout
If you experience burnout, you need to approach this problem more seriously and address the root cause of the issue. But to help you feel better at work, here are some positive statements you can repeat to allow yourself to slow down and take better care of yourself.
- Rest is productive.
- I am allowed to slow down.
- I don’t need to earn my worth.
- My energy matters.
- I can do less and still be enough.
- I release the pressure to overperform.
- I am allowed to say no.
- My pace is valid.
- I can recover from exhaustion.
- I choose sustainability over urgency.
- I am not failing—I am tired.
- I deserve balance.
- I can set boundaries without guilt.
- I give myself permission to rest.
- I am more than my output.
- Small steps are enough today.
- I listen to my body’s signals.
- I don’t need to rush healing.
- I prioritize my well-being.
- I can refill my energy.
Do affirmations work? What science says
I understand that you might feel sceptical about positive affirmations for mental health. So, to finish this article, I’ve collected some benefits that are revealed by different studies.
Stress and Performance
Studies have shown that self-affirmation can buffer stress responses. Research published in journals like Psychological Science found that affirming core values before stressful situations (like exams or public speaking) helped reduce cortisol levels and improved performance under pressure.
Health Behaviors
Research in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that self-affirmation increased activity in brain regions associated with self-processing and reward, and was linked to greater acceptance of health-related information and improved health behaviors (like increased physical activity).
Brain Activity
fMRI studies have shown that self-affirmation activates reward centers in the brain, particularly the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in positive valuation and self-related processing.
However, to improve your well-being, you need to affirm your core values and sense of self-worth, rather than just repeating positive statements. Simply repeating “I’m confident” may be less effective than reflecting on times you demonstrated a value you care about, like kindness or creativity. Some research also suggests that affirmations can backfire for people with very low self-esteem if the statements feel too discrepant from their current self-view.
Hope you practice kindness to yourself and allow yourself to be who you are. And this list is for you for additional support if you believe in positive affirmations that can help improve mental health.
