101 Positive Affirmations That Will Help You in Any Situation

For whatever reason, modern society has formed opinions about who we should be and what our lives should look like. If you’re like most people, you’re at least somewhat aware of these ideals and expectations.

These societal ‘norms’ are fed to us through various forms of content – movies, commercials, television shows, social networking, the Internet, and so much more.

Because these expectations and images are placed in front of us almost every waking hour, we often conform to those expectations, even when we feel that we’re betraying ourselves. As a result, we feel as if we’ll never fit in; we’ll never be good enough. We become miserable, insecure, depressed, angry and empty.

But what if I told you that it is perfectly okay to be your own, unique, authentic self?

What if I said that trusting in who you are, in your dreams, beliefs, decisions, relationships, quirks, oddities – everything that makes you who you are – is the only way that you will ever truly find happiness and security?

Related: The Science of Self-Improvement

What if I also gave you some tools that would help you trust in you?

Enter Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations aren’t a new concept; in fact, they’ve been around for ages. Certain cultures still celebrate and utilize these powerful thinking tools. But somewhere along the way, the Western culture abandoned positive affirmations for self-doubt, closed-minded thinking (if any thinking at all) and societal rules.

Though we can speculate the many reasons why this has happened, the truth is the why doesn’t really matter. The only thing that truly matters is that you become aware of it, and that you recognize when you start to think negatively about your ability to make decisions, your dreams, or who you are as a person. It is at this time that you’ll want to use positive affirmations.

A positive affirmation is simply a positive statement about yourself or a situation that you are in. Used to combat negative thinking, it can become a very powerful tool in helping you find peace and happiness within yourself.

The following 101 positive affirmations are designed to help get you started, but you can create your own or customize these to fit your specific situation or need. Learn, use and share them as much as you want!

When you make a mistake:

1. I am a whole human being, but I am not perfect, and that is okay.
2. Mistakes are a part of life, but they are not failures; I learn from every experience.
3. My mistake does not define who I am as a person.
4. I am accountable for my mistakes and I right my wrongs by apologizing to those that I have hurt.
5. I have people that love me for who I am, and they are open and willing to accepting my apology.
6. I am allowed to release myself from shame.

When you feel lonely:

7. I celebrate solitary moments by making time for myself.
8. I have people in my life that love me and are there for me; they are always with me in spirit.
9. Moments of solitude give me an opportunity to explore more about my faith/spirituality/dreams/truths.
10. I can find comfort in myself and peace in the quiet moments.
11. I love and accept myself and do not need the company of others to feel happiness.
12. I break through the illusion of loneliness, abandonment and emptiness.
13. I am confident and comfortable when doing things by myself.
14. Doing things by myself gives me feelings of pride and accomplishment.

When life or a situation feels impossible or overwhelming:

15. I will overcome my obstacles in time.
16. If I cannot solve a problem on my own, I am resourceful enough to search out the answers.
17. I have people I trust who will give me their support and love during this difficult time.
18. All things pass, and so shall this.
19. I have overcome many obstacles and difficult times in my life and I know that this may change me or my life, but it will be for the better.
20. I can find a little more strength to overcome my obstacles because I haven’t explored all of my options yet.
21. I am a survivor; I am resilient and strong.
22. I rejoice in my accomplishments and successes, and I will soon celebrate this one as well.

When you doubt yourself:

23. I am special, unique, wonderful and whole.
24. I am worthy of self-acceptance and love; the acceptance of others is a bonus.
25. Disapproval of others is okay; I still feel fulfilled and loved in life.
26. I have something unique to offer to the world around me, and even though it doesn’t look the same as what someone else may have to offer, it is just as important and beautiful.
27. I trust myself because I use my intuition and take the time to make carefully informed decisions.
28. I deserve love; I give and receive it in abundance.
29. I know how to meet my own needs and desires and do so out of self-love.
30. I give of myself openly, honestly and freely to the world around me; the world welcomes my gift.

When you’re unhappy or depressed:

31. Happiness is a state of mind, and I choose to find things in my life to be grateful for.
32. I have the power to change my life and my circumstances.
33. I release what I have no control over, and trust, in time, that I will know if and when I should take any action.
34. Life is what I make of it, and I choose to make it joyful.
35. I give myself permission to make time for being sad, but right now is not that time.
36. Time will come and go, whether or not I participate. Today, I choose to participate.
37. I am needed, valued and appreciated by others.
38. I am my own best friend and love myself unconditionally.

When someone has hurt you:

39. I am a kind, forgiving, gentle and loving; I take comfort in knowing this.
40. I have no control over the actions of others; I do have control over how I allow this to affect me.
41. I embrace forgiveness and release my anger.
42. My time is better spent on loving than on harboring the anger that unforgiveness brings.
43. I live in the present and choose to release the past.
44. I release others from my expectations and give them the freedom to be unique.
45. I place healthy boundaries on my relationships, not for the sake of others, but because I love myself.

When you are angry:

46. I am in control, focused, calm and relaxed.
47. I stay calm, even in stressful situations.
48. I diffuse my anger by channeling my emotions into something positive.
49. I am kind and gentle with myself while working through the source of my anger.
50. I release my anger and fill myself with forgiveness, compassion and understanding.
51. I take responsibility for my emotions and apologize to anyone I may have hurt with my words or actions.
52. I communicate my feelings without harming others.
53. I am naturally a calm, easy-going person.

When you feel uncomfortable around other people:

54. I am a confident, kind, loving person that others enjoy being around.
55. When I believe in myself, so do those around me.
56. I have a wonderful group of people that respect and love me, just the way I am.
57. I invest myself in heartfelt relationships.
58. I embrace our differences because that is what makes us all special. These differences can teach me something about life and about myself.
59. It is a joy connecting with other people.
60. I am intentional about my connections with others.
61. I naturally attract love and goodness because I radiate the same from my own spirit.

When you’re stuck in a rut:

62. I am exactly where I need to be right now, but I do not have to stay here forever.
63. Trials help me grow as a person; I reflect and learn something from this experience.
64. I dig deeper and find the motivation to move forward in my life/career/relationships.
65. If I cannot find solutions of my own, I search out people who have knowledge or expertise in this area of my life/situation.
66. I am strong and overcome my current obstacles.
67. Today I welcome the day and choose to do something differently.
68. I am a creative being and recognize that my life is full of limitless possibilities.

When you’re feeling panicked or anxious (but are not in any danger):

69. I am safe and my world is okay.
70. I harness this emotion by breathing slow and deep to calm my mind and body.
71. I inhale peace and calmness and exhale tension and fear.
72. I am optimistic about my life and my future and look forward to it with hope and happiness.
73. I overcome my fear and live life with courage and purpose.
74. My mind, body and spirit are relaxed and calm.
75. No matter what happens, I always land on my feet.

When you are facing financial problems:

76. Money does not define who I am.
77. All problems can be solved, and I have the endurance and creativity to find a solution I haven’t tried yet.
78. I have complete control over my finances.
79. I release the stress and worry to embrace peace.
80. All things work themselves out eventually as I overcome my current situation.
81. I welcome financial independence.
82. I keep my mind open as to how overflowing abundance is finding its way into my life.

When you feel unfulfilled in work or in life:

83. I am a successful, fulfilled person and embrace the joy in my current career/situation.
84. I enjoy my career because it allows me to grow as a person and live life abundantly.
85. My strong work ethic ensures I get the best projects and regular increases in pay and incentives.
86. I model good work ethic and responsibility for newer employees.
87. I learn from my seniors and provide them with the respect they rightly deserve.
88. I have a positive relationship with my coworkers and my immediate supervisor.
89. I have control over my career choices and can actively pursue my dreams and desires.
90. I seize good opportunities when they become apparent because I am a successful and dedicated entrepreneur.
91. I am grateful for the successes coming to me.

When you’re struggling as a parent:

92. I am a good, confident, loving parent.
93. I love my children unconditionally for who they are, and they return that love to me.
94. I listen to my children and am in tune with their needs.
95. I confidently and calmly deal with situations, and when necessary use loving guidance and discipline.
96. I set a wonderful example for my children by providing them with the patience, understanding, empathy and respect that everyone deserves.
97. I set safe and reasonable limits for myself, not my children.
98. I take joy in spending time with my children.
99. I know how to help my children feel loved, confident and safe.
100. I give my children space to make mistakes and experience life for themselves, but I am always here when they need me.
101. Others see me for the confident, loving, attentive parent that I am.

I trust these affirmations will help you combat any negative situation you’re ever in. I’ve composed these myself, and you’re free to use (and share) them as is or modify them to your heart’s content. Just make sure you write them in present tense and avoid using the word “not” as much as you can! 🙂

Apart from the above, do you use your own version of positive affirmations? We’d love to hear them in the comments below, so please share with everyone.

Image by kennymatic.