10 Positive Affirmations to Tell Yourself When You’re Mentally Struggling

Feeling mentally exhausted and burnt out happens from time to time. Whether it’s related to overtime at work or just needing a break from day-to-day life, it’s okay to feel this way—if you have a plan to re-energize and get back on track.

You may have already planned a self-care day for yourself, taken time off work to reset, or talked with your healthcare provider about your mental health struggles. And yet, you still feel like you’re in a slump.

You probably feel like you’ve tried everything, but there is one commonly overlooked simple daily practice that can help you when you’re struggling mentally: Positive affirmations.

Positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are small phrases that are frequently repeated to encourage positive thoughts, happy feelings, and attitudes. They are meant to challenge negative thoughts you may have about yourself and allow you to improve your self-talk.

Related: Why it Matters How You Talk to Yourself

Now, the thought of talking to yourself might sound a bit awkward at first, but the results are worth it. Research shows that affirmations can truly help rewire unhealthy thinking habits and brain patterns, improve cognitive function, and boost self-confidence by allowing you to focus on your core values and self-worth.

So, if you are struggling mentally, whether it be from mental fatigue, depression, anxiety, or burnout, have an open mind and try out some affirmations.

4 tips for getting started

Understanding how to effectively practice positive affirmations is just as important as knowing what to say. Try these few tips:

• Make your affirmations short. This will help you remember them and make them easier to repeat.
• Try taking a few minutes to repeat them to yourself in the morning and before bed each day. You can say them out loud or write them down in a journal.
• Keep them in the present tense. For example, use “I am...” statements to feel connected and aligned to each phrase.
• Try utilizing a powerful affirmation when you have a negative thought. For example, instead of ruminating on a thought like, “I am so bad at my job, it’s no wonder I didn’t get promoted,” try changing it to, “I am fully capable of doing well at my job and improving each day. I have great shot at being promoted one day.”

10 positive affirmations to use

You can either recite well-known affirmations (like the ones included below) or create your own statements that are personalized to you. Whatever works for you is best. Nonetheless, here is a list of positive statements to start telling yourself:

1. I am the best at being me.
2. I am confident in my abilities and can achieve my goals.
3. I am strong.
4. Every day of life is another step forward toward positive changes.
5. I can forgive myself and everyone else for not being perfect.
6. I love myself unconditionally.
7. I am strong and can overcome every challenge in my life.
8. I deserve to have joy and fulfillment.
9. I trust myself and I am in full control of my life.
10. My life is a gift.

Seeing affirmations often can remind you utilize them more. To help, we've created a downloadable positive affirmation PDF you can print, cut out, and place around your home (in both color and black and white designs). We suggest placing the affirmation cards somewhere you see frequently, such as on a bathroom mirror or near your desk.

Download Affirmation PDF Here

Positive affirmations may not solve all your problems, but they have been shown to help you make helpful changes in your life, increase optimism, boost confidence and productivity, and encourage you to live life to the fullest.