But it’s not quite enough.  Because those thoughts are still there, and until you address those, you’re not likely to feel better anytime soon. Ask yourself, “What is good for calming anxiety?” and it’s too easy to think of solutions that have nothing to do with the thoughts in your head.  Then, in your search for real help, you find this post on anxiety affirmations, which are potent phrases that help reduce anxiety. Read on to learn how.

Do You Need Calming Affirmations?

Look up anxiety, and you’ll see plenty of reliable sources describing it as a normal response to stress. Fact is, anxiety can sometimes be a good thing: 

When it alerts you to danger in your immediate environmentWhen it uses your intuition to nudge you into checking on someone When it helps you pay closer attention to your surroundings

It’s not such a good thing, though, when it dominates your thoughts even when you’re not in any real danger. You can get so used to feeling anxious or worried that you never get a break from the hyper-vigilance or nagging thoughts that go with it. 

Stressing over how someone interpreted your text (which they haven’t responded to yet)Worrying about your kid every time he’s out of your sight, even when you know he can handle himselfLiving in fear that your boss will find your job performance lacking and fire you (even though he hasn’t fired the guy who didn’t show up for work twice last week).

It’s pointless torture, but those thoughts just keep coming, firing “What ifs” at you and making it impossible to focus on anything else. This is when positive affirmations for stress and anxiety can offer some relief and help bring you back to a state of inner equilibrium. It doesn’t seem likely that repeating positive affirmations would make a real difference. But they can.

Do Affirmations Help Anxiety? 

Affirmations are positive statements that, when repeated, can help you change the way you think — and, by extension, the way you respond to stress.  But do positive affirmations really work? Scientific studies — involving real people with real anxiety — would answer with a resounding “Yes!” Dr. David Hanscom worked with patients diagnosed with physical symptoms of burnout from anxiety.  Rather than encourage them to write about their pain, he recommends positive affirmations to counteract and eventually replace the negative self-talk behind their physical symptoms.  Essentially, affirmations reprogram the brain, leading to the following benefits: 

Reduced stress or find more creative responses to itDecrease in anxious thoughts and worriesDecrease in cognitive distortions (catastrophizing, etc.)More optimistic attitudes toward the futureIncreased concentration, leading to more successesImproved confidence and self-esteemEnhanced relationships with othersLess pain and improved physical health

Positive affirmations can make your brain stronger, happier, and more resilient. 

46 Positive Affirmations for Anxiety 

Now that you know more about what they can do for you, enjoy this carefully curated list of positive mantras for anxiety. Keep track of your favorites, so you can start using them today. 

  1. I choose to help myself by thinking positive and calming thoughts. 
  2. I am doing the best I can with what I have in this moment. 
  3. I am safe. There is no imminent danger. I am watchful but calm.
  4. All I have to figure out is the next step. 
  5. This is for now, not forever. I can handle this.
  6. I am liberating myself from fear, judgment, and doubt. I’ve got this.
  7. I am right where I need to be. 
  8. I release the past. I forgive myself. 
  9. I inhale strength and calm confidence. I exhale anxiety and self-doubt. 
  10. I choose to feel calm, capable, and ready for anything. 
  11. I release these painful negative thoughts and choose calming, positive ones. 
  12. I love who I am and choose thoughts that lead me forward. 
  13. I have all the energy and strength I need to deal with this moment. 
  14. I am relaxing each part of my body and releasing all negative thoughts. 
  15. I let go of what I can’t change and do my best with what I can. 
  16. The feelings in my body are normal, and I accept them without judgment.
  17. I have the ability to overcome anxiety and find joy in little things. 
  18. I believe in my ability to get through this and learn from it. 
  19. I appreciate my life and find things to be grateful for. 
  20. All my feelings are valid. I accept them and find peace. 
  21. Who I am and what I do matters. 
  22. I have been through hard things before and have come out stronger. 
  23. My body and mind are calm. I exhale anxiety and inhale quiet, peaceful energy.
  24. I am worthy of love and of all good things. 
  25. I control my thoughts; they do not control me. 
  26. Calmness washes over me with every deep breath I take. 27. I meditate easily without resistance or anxiety.
  27. Being calm and relaxed energizes my whole being.
  28. All the muscles in my body are releasing and relaxing.
  29. All negativity and stress are evaporating from my body and my mind.
  30. I breathe in relaxation. I breathe out stress.
  31. Even when there is chaos around me, I remain calm and centered.
  32. I transcend stress of any kind. I live in peace.
  33. I gently and easily return to the present moment.
  34. All is well in my world. I am calm, happy, and content.
  35. My world is a peaceful, loving, and joy-filled place to live.
  36. I sow the seeds of peace wherever I go.
  37. I surround myself with peaceful people.
  38. My work environment is calm and peaceful.
  39. I breathe in peace, I breathe out chaos and disorder.
  40. My home is a peaceful sanctuary where I feel safe and happy.
  41. In all that I say and do, I choose peace.
  42. I release past anger and hurts and fill myself with serenity and peaceful thoughts.
  43. Peace descends all around me now and always.
  44. I send peace from myself into the world.
  45. I respond peacefully in all situations.

How Do I Train My Mind to Stop Anxiety? 

Now that you have your own personal list of stress relief affirmations, how can you make the best use of them? Or how can you turn a list of affirmations into your best weapon against anxiety? 

Use an app like ThinkUp or Unique Daily Affirmations to support your new habit. Write a favorite affirmation where you’ll see it every day — morning to night. Practice mindfulness meditation while repeating a favorite affirmation. Keep a daily journal with morning and evening affirmations. Set a time to declutter your space each day while repeating an affirmation. Play music that calms or energizes you while repeating an affirmation in your head. Practice mindful breathing while repeating a short positive mantra. 

How will you use these calming affirmations?

Now that you know how positive affirmations can help you with your anxiety and make your brain stronger and more resilient, which ones made it to your list of favorites? If you love helpful apps as much as we do, check out ThinkUp and other affirmation apps to find one that fits your life and your personality. There’s a variety to choose from.  The important thing is to decide what you’ll do each day to make affirmations part of your life. Go with what you know you can do each day consistently. And plan a reward for each week you keep the streak going.