Calming affirmations
Short sentences to slow down with. Said out loud and unhurried, they work a bit like a long breath: you can't rush them and race your thoughts at the same time.
24 affirmations: 8 thoughts, each in a gentle, steady and bold version. Updated
What are good calm affirmations?
Good calm affirmations are short and believable, for example "I can let a thought pass", "I breathe slowly and I feel calmer", and "One thing at a time is enough". Say two or three of them out loud, five to ten times each, once a day. If a bold wording feels false, start with the gentle version.
Which version should you say?
Start here if kind words about yourself feel hard to believe.
Plain statements for when the gentle ones already feel true.
For when you believe it and want to say it like you mean it.
- I'm learning to slow my thoughts
- I can take one slow breath
- One small thing is still something
- I'm allowed to rest
- It doesn't have to be perfect
- Right now, I'm okay
- I'm learning to let go of what I can't control
- Tomorrow can wait until tomorrow
- I can let a thought pass
- I breathe slowly and I feel calmer
- One thing at a time is enough
- It's safe for me to rest
- I don't have to get it perfect
- I'm safe in this moment
- I let go of what I can't control
- I deal with today, today
- My mind is calm and clear
- I am calm
- I do what matters, calmly
- Rest makes me stronger
- What I do is good enough, and so am I
- I am safe
- I put my energy where I have a say
- I meet each day as it comes
Say one out loud now
The free affirmation counter listens in your browser and counts each time you say it.
Why these are worded this way
When you're anxious, long sentences don't land. Most of these are under eight words, and the gentle versions don't ask you to feel calm right away. "Right now, I'm okay" is often easier to believe than "I am calm".
How to practise them
- Choose two or three from the list above. Fewer is better than many said half-heartedly.
- Say each one out loud, slowly, five to ten times. Hearing your own voice is part of it.
- Do it at the same time each day, like after brushing your teeth or on your walk to work.
- When a sentence starts to feel natural, switch to its stronger version.
Read more: How Many Times Should You Repeat Affirmations a Day?, Do Affirmations Work? An Honest Look at the Research
Questions
How do I use these affirmations?
Pick two or three that feel true, or nearly true. Say each one out loud five to ten times, slowly, once a day. Morning works well because it sets the tone, but any regular time is fine. Start with the gentle wording if the bold one feels like a lie.
Why are there three versions of each affirmation?
A statement you don't believe can make you feel worse, especially when your self-esteem is low. The gentle version is believable on a hard day, the steady one is a plain statement, and the bold one is for when you're ready. Move up when the current one feels natural.
Is it better to say affirmations out loud?
Saying words out loud helps you remember them better than reading them silently, an effect psychologists call the production effect. It also keeps your attention on the words instead of drifting.
How long until affirmations work?
There's no fixed number of days. Habit research found that a daily behaviour took a median of 66 days to feel automatic. Most people notice the words feel more natural after a few weeks of daily practice.
Let your phone keep count
Mantrify is an iPhone app that reads each affirmation to you, listens while you say it and counts every repetition, so you can practise with your eyes closed. Coming soon.