Below, discover 65 positive affirmations for anxiety, plus tips and tricks on how and when to use affirmations. And be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this page for more inspiring and uplifting affirmations.

Positive Affirmations

My first encounter with positive affirmations (that I remember) came in 2014. I’d found a list of 100 positive body affirmations somewhere online and copied and pasted the list into an email I sent to myself. I remember opening the email a few times after that and silently reading through the lines, but in the years that followed, I forgot about the list as it got pushed lower and lower in my inbox.

I’m pretty good about deleting emails and keeping my inbox neat and tidy, but somehow, that affirmations email survived all these years. However, it was only recently that I finally opened it up again and read through it for the first time in years.

And when I did, something struck me about the affirmations I was reading.

Over the past year, I’ve really cultivated a life where affirmations are part of my everyday self-care routine. I include affirmations in my journaling. I silently recite them to myself as I’m getting ready for the day or when I’m out driving. Sometimes, when my heart needs some soul-affirming words, I’ll meditate to guided affirmation meditations. And I also share my affirmations every morning in my Instagram stories, hoping that they might help at least one person the way they help me.

When I opened that email, I realized that the affirmations in that list weren’t really all that different from the ones I’ve been using over the past year.

I’ve had these positive words right at my fingertips all this time, but I never really knew how to use them.

How to Use Affirmations

This experience reminded me of an important lesson: affirmations are really powerful, but sometimes we need some gentle guidance before we know how to truly use them.

You see, I had these affirmations right in front of me for years, but whenever I looked at them, they were just words. I knew I liked and wanted to believe the words on the screen, but I didn’t know how to get the words to resonate.

So before I list these positive affirmations for anxiety, I want to take a minute to lay out a few key points for using affirmations so you can truly get the most possible good out of these words.

Tips & Tricks to Using Affirmations

• Stay in the Present Tense: Let’s use the affirmation, “I am worthy,” as an example. It isn’t, “I will be worthy when I land my dream job,” or “Once I lose twenty pounds, I’ll finally be worthy of unconditional love.” (I don’t even like writing those words.) The affirmation is, “I am worthy.” Right now. Just as I am. Own your worthiness in this present moment.

• Feel the Positive Emotions: Words are powerful, but often, the reason words are so powerful is because they trigger emotions in us. If I blandly and unemotionally recited affirmations without really feeling the power of the words, it wouldn’t get me very far. So when I say, “I am worthy,” I don’t start with the words that come out of my mouth; I start in my heart center. I let my worthiness permeate inside me. You see, these words aren’t just for your brain; these words are for your body and your spirit as well.

• Don’t Force It When It Doesn’t Feel Right: Maybe you see positive affirmations on your Instagram or Pinterest feeds, and you think, “Well, since everyone else can recite these affirmations with ease, I should be able to, too.” But I gently and lovingly plead, don’t do that. Don’t compare your journey to someone else’s. Don’t think that this should be easy. Like I said above, words are powerful, and that means saying them isn’t always easy. If you recite a positive affirmation, but in the back of your mind, you’re really saying, “Yeah right,” this is going to do more harm than good. This doesn’t mean you’re stuck where you’re at, though. I empower you to use modifications to any affirmation that doesn’t feel right. Here are some examples:
  • Instead of “I am worthy,” you could say, “I am open to seeing my inherent worthiness.”
  • Or, “I am willing to see all the ways in which I am worthy.”
  • Also: “I am learning how to own my worthiness, even when it isn’t easy.”
  • And this one: “I am becoming someone capable of seeing my own inherent worthiness.“

When to Use Positive Affirmations for Anxiety

I wanted to come up with a list of positive affirmations for anxiety because I’ve noticed that in my personal experience, these seem to be the moments I struggle with self-talk the most.

It’s become easy for me to own my worthiness and to assert that I am confident, strong, resilient, and all of those really good things when life is going well. And I’m super grateful for this, because it wasn’t always easy.

But in those harder moments when my heart feels hot and my chest feels tight and everything seems to be closing in on me?

In those moments, it’s not so easy.

Anxiety comes in all different shapes and forms. For me, my anxiety peaks when I feel like I have to do too much to do and not enough time. It also emerges when I’m entering into new and/or unfamiliar social situations.

The affirmations below are broken into five sections: Positive Affirmations for Anxiety – All Situations; Affirmations for Social Anxiety; Affirmations for Time Anxiety; Affirmations for Gym Anxiety; and Affirmations for Choosing Faith Over Fear.

I encourage you to use these affirmations during any time they might serve you. You could use them as preventative care to help you before you enter into a situation that may cause increased anxiety. You can also use them during any anxious situation.

65 Positive Affirmations for Anxiety

Positive Affirmations for Anxiety – All Situations

• I choose peace over worry.
• I choose authenticity over perfection.
• I inhale love. I exhale suffering.
• My heart is grateful. My mind is at peace.
• I am safe and supported, rooted in this present moment.
• All experiences shape me to be a stronger and braver version of myself.
• I have the courage to step forward, even when I’m afraid.
• I am equipped with all the tools I need to walk through this experience with dignity and grace.
• I rise above my insecurities.
• I am not my thoughts.
• I am not my fears.
• It is safe for me to be my authentic self.
• I show compassion for myself in all situations.
• It’s okay for me to feel anxious. I respond to my anxiety with love and compassion.
• I allow myself to live in the moment and release any worries about the past or future.
• I am strong, capable, and resilient.
• I am far stronger than I realize.

Affirmations for Social Anxiety

• I am always embraced and welcomed when I enter a room.
• I am free to be my true and authentic self at all times.
• I seek connection, not validation, from others. I am always worthy, and I validate myself.
• I am welcome here.
• I am loved for my authenticity, not for the illusion of perfection.
• When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I give myself permission to step away and take a deep breath.
• My presence is delightful to others.
• I bring light to those around me.
• I am worthy of beautiful friendships and lasting relationships.
• Whatever happens, this experience is an opportunity for joy, growth, or both.
• I’m not alone in how I’m feeling.
• It’s right for me to feel this way.
• Social situations aren’t always easy, and I give myself love and grace in this moment.
• I am so grateful for my courageous heart for stepping outside my comfort zone.

Affirmations for Time Anxiety

• There is no rush.
• I have time to complete everything I need to do today.
• When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I allow myself to pause, step back, and breathe.
• No matter what gets done today or what gets left undone, I am equally worthy, no matter what.
• And no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.
• If I’m late, it really is okay. This is just one small moment in my life. It’s not forever.
• I will not rush through moments that matter to me.
• My worth is not defined by what I check off on my to-do list.
• Life is beautiful. I have time. All is well.
• There is beauty to be found in slowing down.
• I have time. I have time. I have time.

Do you want more positive affirmations? Check out 100 Amazingly Powerful Affirmations to Change Your Life from the incredible and inspiring Liz in Lotus. Liz provides 100 inspiring affirmations broken down into four sections: Money, Love, Self-Love, and Health. Don’t miss Liz’s post to feel uplifted and inspired today!

Affirmations for Gym Anxiety

• My presence is welcomed here.
• All of the people in this gym are kind, generous, and understanding.
• If I need help, there are kind people who will be happy to help me.
• I don’t have to go all out today. I just have to take the first step.
• I do not have to be perfect. I just have to show up.
• This is a really hard thing, and it’s okay to be afraid. I have the courage to push past my fear.
• I know that when I leave, I will be really glad that I came.
• I am proud of myself for having the courage to show up today.
• When I step outside my comfort zone, my confidence grows.
• When I step outside my comfort zone, my presence is welcomed by all.
• I am strong, confident, and capable of achieving more than I ever imagined.
• I have the courage to make positive choices for my mind, body and soul. I am prioritizing my total wellbeing. Because I love myself, I can do this.

Affirmations for Choosing Faith Over Fear

• I trust and listen to my intuition, even when I’m afraid.
• I choose courage over fear and peace over perfection.
• I release doubt and welcome faith.
• I trust and believe that everything is always working out for my highest good.
• I cultivate deep courage and compassion within my mind, body, and spirit.
• Everything is unfolding in perfect timing. I release worry and choose to trust.
• I bravely let go and allow the universe to reveal its beautiful plan for me.
• I trust that the universe gives me exactly what I need at exactly the right time.
• My energy is not reserved for worrying. I use my energy to trust, believe, and have faith.
• I am exactly where I’m meant to be.
• All is really well.

Do you use affirmations to help you in anxious moments? And have you found any other self-care practices to help you when anxiety starts to creep in? Share your affirmations and practices in the comments below!

Discover More Positive Affirmations

• 100 Positive Affirmations for Women
• 40 Gentle Affirmations for Healing
• 35 Positive Affirmations to End Your Day
• 100 Wholehearted Promises to Make to Yourself Today

Zanna Keithley

Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.

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