21 Affirmations To Calm Your Anxiety 

If you struggle with anxiety to any degree, you can attest that it can be an overwhelming feeling. Some anxiety is normal to experience, and there are people who can manage their anxiety easily. However, it is important to know that this is not true for everyone. 

That said, regardless of the case, there are ways to get a handle on anxiety. Practicing affirmations is an easy, useful practice that can be used during anxiety-inducing situations. Read on for a brief rundown about anxiety to understand it a bit more, as well as a list of affirmations you can use during stressful times.

Can You Cure Anxiety?

There are many ways to cope with anxiety, but no straightforward cure exists. 

Determining what works for you may take some trial and error — dipping your toes into a plethora of different coping skills may be helpful to hit your anxiety on multiple levels. 

The first step would be getting a diagnosis, as this is helpful so that you know what type of anxiety disorder you are dealing with, such as social anxiety disorder. That way, you can receive tailored treatment options. For example, depending on the type of anxiety disorder, your doctor may recommend one type of therapy over another. 

Working in therapy is very important to help you understand why you are anxious about certain things. Additionally, it can rework and rewire your brain to change how you respond when anxiety begins. However, there are other methods and routines to practice that can help you manage your anxiety as well. 

Keeping an overall healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, being active, getting outdoors, and engaging in hobbies you enjoy are some ways to practice self-care and manage feelings of stress — and the less stress you have, the easier your anxiety may be to handle. 

What Affirmations Can Help Calm Anxiety?

If you are unfamiliar with affirmations, they are expressions or mantras that you can repeat to yourself to shape your thoughts into a positive frame of mind and change negative behaviors. A negative outlook or mindset breeds stress, and it can send you into an anxiety spiral. Working on stopping these negative thoughts and transforming them into positive ones can help decrease the amount of anxiety you feel on a daily basis.

A significant part of your overall mindset typically stems from how you view yourself. It is common for those who struggle with anxiety (and other mental health issues) to wrestle with low self-esteem and self-doubt, and this can create the perfect environment for anxiety to brew. Affirmations can help change that — all it takes is patience and practice. 

Affirmations To Calm Down

When you’re in an anxiety spiral, the following affirmations may help you ease your worries and calm your mind:

• I am safe
• Breathe in light, breathe out anxiety
• I am more than my anxiety
• Anxiety doesn’t control me
• This moment won’t last forever
• My brain is just trying to keep me safe, it is not against me
• Being uncomfortable is momentary
• My panic and worry will not ongoing
• My emotions make me human
• I experience anxiety, but I am not defined by my anxiety

Repeating these mantras to yourself can help you remember that you are not in danger, you are capable of overcoming your struggles, and you are not defined by the difficult feelings you are dealing with.

Affirmations To Boost Self-Esteem

Anxiety can also lend itself to feelings of self-doubt or self-criticism. 

The following affirmations may come in handy on a daily basis, as they can help you build up your self-esteem in spite of your anxiety:

• I do enough, I have enough, I am enough
• My best is different day by day
• I know what is best for me
• I am creating a better, happier me
• I am never alone
• I have faith and trust in myself
• I have done this before, I can do it again. 
• I am not my past
• I choose to think positively
• I am worthy
• Hard doesn’t mean impossible

Frequent repetition of these affirmations is pivotal in order for them to truly make an impact on your anxiety. It’s best to do more than just say them in your head — saying them out loud or writing them down can make your practice more effective. 

Over time, the practice of affirmations can start to bring a sense of calm to your mind, uplift your self-esteem, and boost your confidence. An improvement in your mental well-being and self-worth can make it easier to get out of the pit of anxiety. 

What Does “Normal” Anxiety Feel Like?

When your heart begins to race, your breathing gets fast, and your chest feels weighed down, these are symptoms caused by the body’s flight or fight response. This reaction happens to help us address a perceived “threat” and take action. 

Most people have a rush of anxiety before big events, such as a public speech, a medical procedure, a job interview, or an important test. What would be deemed “normal” would be; that you feel anxious leading up to and a little after whatever is sparking that stress. Once the issue has passed, you will generally calm down, and your body and mind will likely return to normal. This type of anxiety doesn’t continue to affect your daily life — only during (or leading up to) the stressful situation.

When Does Anxiety Become Abnormal?

On the flip side, an abnormal anxiety experience is when anxiety starts to affect your everyday life. 

This may mean you have an anxiety disorder — however, there are multiple types, so it is best to consult a medical professional. Depending on your specific anxiety disorder, what brings on the anxiety may vary.

Long after any specific stressor is gone, the anxiety typically lingers, and it can last anywhere from an hour to two weeks. This type of anxiety is all-encompassing and oppressive, and the overwhelming fear can leave you wracking your brain for a way to gain control. 

This type of anxiety affects every part of your life — your career, education, social life, personal goals, and relationships can begin to suffer, and this deterioration can further push you into a negative mindset which breeds more anxiety.

Many of those who struggle with an anxiety disorder may also have what’s called a “trigger.” A trigger can be anything that sparks an anxiety attack — this could be a certain situation, event, or environment. Even a specific person could be a trigger, and some traumatic experiences can form the trigger.

As someone with anxiety, learning about your triggers is helpful, as this gives you the advantage of control. As you move through learning how to cope with anxiety, you can ultimately learn how to handle your trigger and prevent it from controlling you. 

The Bottom Line

Anxiety is not an easy emotion or state of mind to face, regardless of whether it is a short-term experience like a public speech or a long-term experience like a diagnosed disorder. Being able to feel like you have a grip on your anxious feelings or behaviors can change your outlook and mindset. 

When beginning to take charge of your mental health, showing yourself care and love is a core building block. This self-love is as easy as practicing healthy habits with diet, exercise, and using your breathing techniques when stressed or anxious. In addition, performing your affirmations will lead to an overall improvement in your ability to handle your anxiety and feel some relief.

Sources:

National Institute of Mental Health: Anxiety Disorder | NIMH

What causes anxiety problems | Mind

Affirmations: What They Are and How to Use Them | Everyday Health