At a young age, my parents had relayed the powerful impact that practicing affirmations could have on my quality of life and mindset. However, I didn’t actually take their advice (naturally) until recently, and the positive results that practicing affirmations have had on my life so far leave me wishing I had started earlier. It was after reading Stephen Covey’s advice on how to live an effective, successful life, which shed a lot of light on areas of my life that held room for improvement. (Covey’s book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is a phenomenal source for improving productivity and overall quality of life, and I definitely recommend it.) Among these, positive thinking and the connotation in which my inner voice talks to (and feels about) myself were the most prevalent. So, that’s where I started.

Throughout my mindset renovation, I hit a roadblock fairly early. I googled “positive affirmations” and wrote them down, but when I got to the part where I’m supposed to actually say them out loud and feel them, it seemed like the fuel ran dry. It turns out that this speed bump wasn’t because I didn’t believe those nice things about myself. Rather, the google-searched words held no weight to my mission, purpose, and sense of self. I realized I didn’t feel the words, because I didn’t really care all that much about those words. Once this realization was reached, I knew I’d need to put in a little more work. So, I googled harder. I also tweaked and added to some of the lines existing in the rough draft. It’s been 2 years, and I still recite some of these today— and they’re felt (and they work).

So, here I’ve provided some lists of positive affirmations to serve as your rough draft. They’re yours to evolve into your own. If you find them up to par just as they appear, that’s awesome! If you aren’t feeling them, it may help to envision who you strive to be and the life that you desire, and dissect these to find the traits you’d like to affirm within yourself to cultivate the respective energy necessary for your desired lifestyle and well-being. Try to only use positive connotation in your affirmations and only use present-tense. Happy affirming!

Morning Affirmations

• Today is incredible.

• I’m cultivating happiness and harnessing positive energy everywhere I go today.

• Today, I choose greatness.

• I conquer anything that life throws at me.

• I am amazing.

• Something wonderful is making its way to me today.

• I can do this.

• I deserve every bit of success I strive to have.

• I’m on the right path to my goals and I am more than worthy of my dreams.

• I enrich the lives of my family and friends.

Gratitude Affirmations

• I am so happy and grateful for the life I have.

• I feel abundantly blessed that I woke up today.

• I’m grateful for the chance to make my life better today.

• I am so grateful for all of the people I have in my life.

• I am so grateful for this beautiful, healthy body I have that continues to get stronger everyday.

• I am so grateful for the attributes that I offer to the world and the ability to inspire others.

• I am so thankful that the Universe is working for my greater good.

• I am grateful for the opportunity to grow my skills and gifts and to share them with the world.

• I am grateful for this moment and all of my surroundings that feed to my senses.

• I am grateful for this mind and body and that my soul is able to experience life in such an imaginative way.

General Affirmations

• I trust the universe.

• I am worthy enough to follow my dreams and manifest my desires.

• Every day, I move towards my best life.

• My intentions are clear.

• What I am seeking is seeking me.

• Everything works out for me perfectly.

• I am worthy of receiving.

• My mind is clear and focused.

Night Affirmations

• I am calm and peaceful. 

• I’ve done by best today.

• I’m grateful for this day’s opportunities.

• My mind is restful.

• I’m proud of myself.

• Everything I did today leads to a better tomorrow.

• My heart is grateful.

• I’m proud of my efforts.

• I’m safe.

• I’m filled with content.

• Tomorrow is a new day full of possibilities.

• I rejoice in what I’ve learned today.