31 Positive Quotes and Affirmations for Anxiety
In honor of Mental Health Month, I am sharing 31 positive quotes and affirmations for anxiety. That’s equal to one quote for every day of May! I encourage you to pin this post, save your favorites, use them as wallpaper and say the affirmations out loud when you need a boost of confidence.
Reframing Anxiety
At the most basic level, anxiety is a sense of dread or worry about the future. It’s rooted in a desire to control the outcome and a fear of the worst-case scenario. These quotes help me recognize when I get myself into an anxious spiral of “what ifs” and remind me to be present. You can read more about my anxiety story here.
“Whatever is going to happen will happen, whether we worry or not.” – Ana Monnar
A woman who is going to do big things cannot let small things get to her -@bossbabe.inc
One day, one step at a time, you don’t need to see the whole path to keep moving forward. – adapted from a Martin Luther King Jr. quote
“It ain’t no use putting up your umbrella till it rains!” – Alice Caldwell Rice
“It’s OKAY to be scared. Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave.” – Mandy Hale
“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” – Kahlil Gibran
Worrying is suffering one more time than you need to. – @strongcalmkelsey
Worrying about what others think
As a recovering people-pleaser, I often get stuck in worries about what other people think of me or my actions. Here are some things I’ve learned throughout my journey that remind me that the only thing I can control is what I think of myself.
No one thinks about you as much as YOU think about you. -Kelsey Buckholtz, Strong Calm Confident You
Not everyone will agree with you and not everyone will like you, and that’s okay! -@StrongCalmKelsey
“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
You cannot be all things to all people so just be yourself. -@StrongCalmKelsey
Energy spent worrying about what other people think is energy wasted. -@StrongCalmKelsey
You are not responsible for other people’s happiness. -My Therapist, Strong Calm Confident You
Stop chasing perfection and other people’s approval and instead, commit to being real. – Strong Calm Confident You
Affirmations for Anxiety
Affirmations are short positive phrases you can repeat to yourself to shift your mindset. I recently started doing affirmations every morning in the mirror, and I have really noticed a difference. I also use affirmations to reframe negative thoughts throughout the day. When I notice anxiety creeping in and negative voices in my head, I replace it with one of these positive thoughts.
Be here now.
I have enough. I do enough. I AM enough.
I am strong, I am calm, I am confident.
Inhale confidence, exhale doubt.
Progress over perfection.
This too shall pass.
I am not my thoughts.
The only thing you can control is how you react.
Quotes for Difficult Times
While anxiety is often focused on worrying about the future, sometimes the present moment is just as difficult. When I’m going through something tough, these quotes remind me what I’ve already overcome and that “the suck” won’t last forever. If you’ve experienced a loss, I also recommend this post on the stages of grief.
“Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot, and you’ll survive whatever is coming.” – Robert Tew
Wish I could go back and tell my younger self, “You’re a fighter. You just don’t know it yet” – The Chicks, For Her
“It is okay to be brave and afraid at the same time.” -Brene Brown, Daring Greatly
To be human is to struggle. We learn, we grow and we connect. When we let go of perfectionism, we open ourselves to these beautiful connections. – Kelsey Buckholtz, Strong Calm Confident You
I can do hard things. – Glennon Doyle, Untamed
A good cry is the best thing ever, but don’t wallow in it. – Mimi, Strong Calm Confident You
Everything is figureoutable. – Marie Forleo, Everything is Figureoutable
And a few final reminders…
You are not alone and you don’t have to fight alone. -@Strongcalmkelsey
Therapy is nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t make you weak – it makes you strong. It’s weak to suffer in silence, but it takes courage and strength to open up and seek help. – Kelsey Buckholtz, Strong Calm Confident You
I hope you found these positive quotes and affirmations for anxiety helpful and that you’ll come back to them in times when you are struggling. Mental Health Month is an important time to remind us that it’s okay not to be okay, but you don’t have to fight alone. For more on my journey with anxiety, and my tips to combat people-pleasing and perfectionism, check out my first book Strong Calm Confident You!
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to one of the following resources
Text MHA to 741741 and you’ll be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Disclaimer: The views and opinions of this post are my own and not necessarily representative of my employer
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Thank you. I’ve seen some of the positive quotes in the past, but the beginning of this piece is precisely the definition of anxiety. That incredible fear of the future that comes in spells that last from a few minutes to a few days (or even longer). Sometimes that fear is based in reality, and sometimes it’s based on things made up in my mind. The reality stuff is tough, such as making a huge mistake that affects me and my family in a negative way for the rest of my life. So far, of things that have caused me great stress and anxiety over the last five years, the only thing that happened is that I lost a lot of good life. I’m trying. It’s a daily struggle, but your opening lines to this piece precisely define what’s going on here. It’s powerful, debilitating, and even causing negativity in my relationships and career. I wish you well. Chris