The benefits of positivity always lead to growth. Positivity and positive thinking are the best ways to deal with stress, handle anxiety, and send you on the path to better mental health. When I practice this one thing my everyday anxiety is counteracted with the effects of positive thinking.
When your mind gets into a negative rut it’s hard to find a way out and hose off the mud. In the past I have been stuck fighting my anxiety all day, being sad for no reason, and left feeling depressed as I tried to get out of the rut. I tried audio affirmations, daily affirmation apps, articles with “50 positive affirmations,” but nothing helped my anxiety problems and anxiety worry.
What is it that stops my anxiety in its tracks?
The answer is putting pen to paper and changing my perspective by putting positive thoughts on repeat in my head instead of letting the negative thoughts run amuck. But how can you do this when the negative thoughts are screaming at you?
Combat the negative thinking with short positive affirmations & mantras that are easy to remember, unique to you, and can fit on a sticky note.
The only thing that helped me was writing down my own affirmations that spoke to what I was feeling, seeing, experiencing and going through.
Developing a positive inner dialogue is one of the most actionable and productive ways people with strong mental health take care of themselves. They flex that muscle of positive thinking, over and over, repeating positive and attainable affirmations. This is the key to drowning out the negative thoughts that were holding them back and that you might find are holding you back too.
A friend of mine often says to her husband, children and students, “Whatever you’re feeling is okay.” Sometimes all we need is a little reminder that it’s okay that we are feeling. This message alone “Whatever you’re feeling is OK.” is a powerful simple positive affirmation and mantra that we all need in our back pockets.
“Whatever you’re feeling is okay.”
Tara Sytsma
Positive Thinking in the form of Positive Affirmations and Mantras are some of the foundations of certain therapy models and can be found in C.B.T. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and in 12 Step Rehabilitation Programs.
Affirmations for Mental Health can help combat extreme anxiety attacks, managing panic attacks, the manifestation of depression, and help with feelings of despair. Positive Thinking Affirmations & Mantras help you find happiness, reduce stress, improve confidence, develop a positive attitude and triumphantly overcome stress.
So what is the difference between a mantra and an affirmation, aren’t they interchangeable?
man·tra
/ˈmantrə/
Mantra comes from Sanskrit, Hinduism and Buddhism. A mantra is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation and can be found in Vedic Hymns. In Sanskrit, literally ‘a thought, thought behind speech or action’, from man- ‘think’, related to mind.
Today in modern times we use the word “mantra” as a mission statement or slogan that is used frequently. People also adopt personal mantras as part of their brand and to personify who they are and how they live.
Mantras of religion, concentration, and in modern times are all motivating chants. Mantras propel our thoughts and practices towards a goal. Mantras are short phrases that you repeat over and over to yourself in good times and during dark days. In addition to being a repeating phrase, a meantra can also refer to a word repeated in mediation like “OM” and “RAM.”
There is a beautiful “RAM” meditation technique that I like to use when I’m feeling excruciatingly stressed and anxious that comes from Ram Dass’s book, Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook. This is an excellent book for the modern human beginning their meditation journey, you can get the book here (the newer editions are blue, mine is an older pink copy).
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
af·firm·a·tion
/ˌafərˈmāSH(ə)n/
Affirmations are positive declarations by a person that feature emotional support and encouragement. Affirmations are not wishful thinking. An affirmation is an actionable and practical statement that you aspire to weave into your life and day to day. Affirmations are statements that YOU want to and take action to truly embody. They are statements aimed to inspire, motivate, and to attract the things we want. Remember an affirmation is a short, powerful statement.
What we think we become. The reality in our minds always comes into form on the other side in the real physical world. Everything that we repeatedly say to ourselves out loud or in our thoughts are affirmations. Why not make it a positive affirmation instead of a negative rumination? Affirmations are sentences aimed to affect the conscious and the subconscious mind so that in turn, they affect our behavior, thinking patterns, habits, and environment.
Daily affirmations are simple, positive statements declaring specific goals in their completed states. They allow you to consciously be in control of your thoughts. An affirmation is carefully constructed to have the most impact. When you say them or think them, they become the thoughts that shape your reality.
How affirmations help shape our perspective
Our lives, what we think about, our existence, and inner monologue are all affected by our negative and positive thoughts alike. When our inner world and minds are affected by ruminating negativity our outer world is affected too. These negative nancies seep their way into how we see the world, our experience of existence and our outer dialogue with others.
How we’re shaped and what we think about and how it affects our life, existence, inner monologue and outer life experience and dialogue.
Affirmations and Mantras rewire our brains and amplify our feel good hormones and reduce stress levels. I recently started a new daily affirmation creation process that begins with a short journal prompt about my feelings and thoughts, and ends with writing a unique to me affirmation. This affirmation prompt begins with “today I affirm….”
I’ve found that this particular way of writing affirmations makes me feel human and helps me accept my flaws, frustrations, and emotions on the bad days. On the good days it helps by giving me the much needed boost of motivation to affirm my dreams, goals, and desires longterm and shortterm for the day.
This simple act of writing my own affirmations in a daily cadence has transformed my mental, emotional and physical health. I notice that I have more energy because I’ve let go of the negativity. More time because I’m working faster and not feeling weighed down by work or responsibilities, and that I have more space in my heart to hold for others and that I am a kinder, more compassionate human to others. This is the power of mantras and affirmations.
“As we transform suffering into compassion, we realize our interconnectedness with all of life…”
Tara Brach
Practices that support mantras and affirmations
The best practices that support the daily use of affirmations and mantras are, mindful breathing that helps us connect our bodies to our minds, repetition, which is the key to the implementation and use of affirmations, and positive ruminations that get us out of negative thought patterns, ruts, and negative ruminations.
Our thoughts and beliefs shape both our perception and experience of ourselves and the world around us. Research indicates that nearly 80% of our self talk is negative. If we are going to ruminate, why not ruminate on positive thinking instead of hate filled speech that muttles our brains when we are caught in the negative cycle and tailspin downwards into the depths of anxiety and depression?
Impermanence is another practice and concept that supports mantras and affirmations. I have anxiety and this is really hard for me to grasp and choose to lean into on the really hard days, but it is also the concept that I keep closest by in my mental health and self care tool box.
Impermanence is one of the essential doctrines in Buddhism. The term expresses the Buddhist notion that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is in a constant state of flux.
“Wisdom is the clear seeing of the impermanent, conditioned nature of all phenomena, knowing that whatever arises has the nature to cease. When we see this impermanence deeply, we no longer cling; and when we no longer cling, we come to the end of suffering.”
Joseph Goldstein
We all go through phases, ebb and flow, wane and wax, just like our emotions. But it’s important to remember that we are not our emotions. We are separate from our emotions. Our emotions are something that we experience. Our emotions come and go, they are never lasting like our true selves and our souls. Remember you are not your emotions.
Autogenic training, a form of relaxation therapy involving autosuggestion, also helps support the use of affirmations and mantras. The most common form of this is guided meditations and the continuous repetition of your affirmation.
These tools are most effective when IN use. What do I mean by that? It’s not enough to only read this article and say, “oh that’s nice, I should do that,” and never act on it. We must practice what we preach and put into motion through daily practice to see the greatest and most benefits of positive thinking and affirmations to shift our perspective into a positive one.
“Thoughts become things, choose the good ones.”
Mike Dooley
If you are operating from a baseline of negativity, then it’s not enough to have wishful thinking. To change your mental state and shift the needle on your baseline when waking up, you need to show up for yourself and practice what your ideal self would practice. You need to put in the work. Remember these tools are most effective when IN use.
How I Use Mantras & Affirmations
I like to use mantras and affirmations in a few places in my daily life. I start in the morning with my coffee, then in my bullet journal, in my body care, and in my office. To see how I use affirmations and mantras from am to pm click here.
Get these positive affirmations and mantras below in a beautiful, easy to read, free printable, that you can cut out and post all over your home, mirrors, car, work station, desk, coffee bar, refrigerator and by your door. I’d love to see where you put these positive affirmations and mantras! Make sure you tag me @owlsandindigo on instagram and use the hashtag #owlsandindigotribe so I can see them.
This free download contains a collection of 51 of the best mantras and daily positive affirmations that you can start using today to improve your mental health in beautiful typography ready for you to use immediately.
Here are a collection of 51 of the best mantras and daily positive affirmations that you can start using today to improve your mental health.
positive affirmations for mental health
- I am strong in my values and confident in my abilities.
- I can handle feeling uncomfortable.
- I am in control of how I think, feel, and behave.
affirmations for depression
- I will turn negative thoughts into positive ones.
- my life is a gift.
- I have what I need to get through this.
affirmations for good health
- healthy food fuels my body.
- I give myself room to grow.
- I am well-rested and full of energy.
affirmations for happiness
- living according to my values is what really matters.
- failure is part of the road to success.
- I am on the right path for me.
positive affirmations for self esteem
- I take the time to care for my body, mind, and spirit.
- I am strong in mind, body, and spirit.
- I love my body as it is today.
affirmations for love
- I love and accept myself just the way I am.
- I freely give and receive unconditional love and acceptance to myself and others.
- I am thankful for the love in my life.
positive affirmations for self love
- I will come through this challenge with a better understanding of myself.
- I am powerful.
- no one can take your joy.
affirmations for peace
- I am relaxed and at peace.
- I am calm, cared for, and connected.
- I am a living breathing example of the world I want to live in.
affirmations for strength
- I have the courage and tenacity to overcome any challenge I face.
- I step into my power regardless of what anyone else thinks.
- ok, next point.
affirmations for stress
- I let go of the past, surrender concerns about the future, and openly receive the experience of the present moment.
- This Is a Moment of Suffering.
- There Is No Danger.
affirmations for positive energy
- just for today.
- I am so grateful for my life and all its blessings.
- I love my life as it is today.
affirmations for success
- I will take action and accomplish my goals.
- success is mine.
- everything happens right on schedule.
affirmations for change
- things are not being done to me, they are just happening.
- nothing lasts forever. not the good, and not the bad.
- soon this will be.
affirmations to release criticism
- I lead by example not judgement.
- the only person I need to keep up with is myself.
- I am whole as I am without add-ons.
affirmations for self esteem
- what I’m feeling is valid and okay.
- I release anything that doesn’t serve me.
- I believe in my abilities and express my true self with ease.
affirmations for work
- I have everything I need to create my own opportunities.
- I am comfortable allowing my light to shine in all situations.
- I trust my intuition and listen to my inner voice.
affirmations for trust
- all is well in my world.
- I let go and trust in the universe.
- my inner child always leads me in the right direction.
Affirmations are more than just repeating words, they actually help to shift and set your perspective so you control your mind, instead of your mind controlling you.
It may seem silly at first, god knows I felt ridiculous when I first started this practice, but positive thinking affirmations have the power to improve your life not just ten fold, but a million, billion, trillion fold, releasing you from the chains of your self doubt. Using positive thinking affirmations is a practice of manually shifting your perspective and thought patterns on a daily basis to change your baseline. As you continue this practice your detrimental cognitive patterns and negative thoughts become less prominent. The more that you actively change your thoughts by choosing them and not letting them choose you, the better your life can and WILL be.
