Negative emotions and mental health struggles can make you feel like the day will never end and that things will not get better. However, you have the ability and the potential to retrain your brain to feel more positive.
Here are eight affirmations to help get you through the day:
- “I am exactly where I am supposed to be”
- “Everything happens for a reason”
- “There is no time like the present”
- “Everything unfolds in perfect timing”
- “Nothing is forever”
- “I am a warrior, not a worrier”
- “I am a good person”
- “My dreams are within my reach”
By making these affirmations a part of your life, you can start to have better days and appreciate the present moment. Your attitude will transform, and you will be able to complete tasks and feel accomplished. Read on for more info on these positive intention statements.
1. “I am exactly where I am supposed to be”
This affirmation is right for you if you feel aimless. Often when we are struggling with depression, anxiety, or general stress, we become overwhelmed by the feeling that we are out of place or doing something at the wrong time.
This feeling can make us feel ungrounded, leaving us hurt and confused. When you feel like you cannot get through the day, remember that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
2. “Everything happens for a reason”
This affirmation is helpful if you are going through a particularly difficult period and feel like nothing is going right for you.
Though it may not feel like the truth when you are experiencing it, when you look back at the hard times you have gone through before, you will realize that everything that has happened to you has happened for a reason.
3. “There is no time like the present”
This affirmation is a good one for those of us who are struggling to get motivated and sort through difficult tasks. De-motivation happens to everyone, especially if you are someone who gets depressed easily.
With some gentle guidance and patience, you can develop the skills you need to motivate yourself. With this newfound motivation, you will be able to take advantage of the time you have right here and right now.
Even if you have spent the whole day down and exhausted, you can still take advantage of the present moment. Do not think that, because you have been unproductive, you can’t change your day around. The present moment is the perfect time to change your day around.
4. “Everything unfolds in perfect timing”
If you are an impatient person, this affirmation can help you. You may be waiting on an important decision like the results of a job application, a grade on a project, or even a romantic proposal. Or maybe you have fallen ill on what might be the worst day possible.
It is easy to think that everything needs to happen immediately, but by trying to force time to move faster, you are just making the time pass more slowly. If you are feeling impatient or you are waiting for news, remember that everything happens at the right time.
Consider the butterfly effect, which is the theory that states that one tiny little event (a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil) can eventually trigger other distant, important events (a tornado in Texas). For example, if you were not born at the exact second you came into this world, your life could be immeasurably different than it is now. You are where you are at this very moment because everything happens for a reason.
5. “Nothing is forever”
Consider choosing this affirmation if you are dealing with a difficult event or emotion, or if you have experienced trauma. In the midst of distress, you may feel like you will be that way forever. Depression seems endless, anxiety feels insurmountable, and heartbreak looks impossibly bleak. But, if you look at your life from the bigger picture, you will see that nothing lasts forever.
It is important to remember that you have survived every hard day you have ever experienced, and you have probably experienced happiness and joy since then. Do your best not to dwell on the suffering you are experiencing and direct your focus to the future. Nothing is forever, and that is a beautiful thing.
6. “I am a warrior, not a worrier”
If you are anxious and nervous, this affirmation is for you. When you feel uneasy and panicky, your feelings become worse the more you think about them. The act of dwelling on your feelings to the point of distress is called rumination. In an article from Psychology Today, one psychologist suggests that one of the best tactics for countering rumination is to take your tasks one by one.
Make a list of what needs to be accomplished throughout your day and work step by step. These can be things as little as “wash my face” or “make the bed.” Start with the small tasks, then work up to the larger ones. As you slowly progress through your to-do list, you will start to feel less like a “worrier” and more like a strong, confident, capable “warrior.”
7. “I am a good person”
Use this affirmation if you are struggling with your self-worth. Depression and anxiety often keep us from feeling like good people. According to a study conducted in Egypt, 62.8% of people who experience depression also experience a sense of guilt.
You may feel like you should not be depressed or suffering because you are a privileged person or that you have a good life and, therefore, should not be feeling the way you do. In reality, these feelings are incorrect and have no connection with reality. To emerge from the cloud of self-doubt, you need to remind yourself that you are a good person.
If this feels difficult, remind yourself of your positive qualities. Perhaps you are a giving friend or parent, or an excellent cook. You might have an artistic eye or a sweet voice. Give yourself credit for your positive traits, and remember that you are a good person.
8. “My dreams are within my reach”
This affirmation is for those of us who feel like they cannot get close to their goals. It is hard to make it through a day when you feel like your dreams are out of your grasp. However, you may be closer than you think. If you have never done so before, make a list of all the steps you can take to get closer to living your best life.
Another helpful tool would be to design and create a vision board. Collect images that relate to your dream life and put them on a piece of poster board. Include your dream job, dream house, and dream lifestyle. Do not hold back – remember that your dreams are within your reach.
Summary
It can be hard to get through the day when you do not feel motivated. Time feels like it is stalling, and you cannot get anything accomplished. However, affirmations are an easy way to change your mindset and mood. Remind yourself that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and that everything happens for a reason.
Trust life’s timing, and do not rush the present. Remember, you are a good person who can achieve his or her dreams. By using affirmations when you are feeling down, you can turn a bad and unproductive day into one of the best days you have ever had.