Do you want to feel good about yourself? You're not alone. Positive affirmations can help everyone, no matter their age- but the number one rule is: Say these out loud and Honestly! Whether standing in front of a bathroom mirror or scrolling through your phone at night while laying in bed, saying them aloud gives them an opportunity to work on influencing what goes underneath our conscious control which means better self-esteem.

Stress levels

In your teenage years, stress starts to pile on that you probably never had in your life. Unfortunately, the stresses you are feeling today will just morph into different stressors for the rest of your life, the trick is not to get rid of all the stress, but to manage it. Today, we will look at positive affirmations to raise self-confidence and lower stress.

The next time you're feeling down and need a little encouragement, look at what kind of affirmations work best for your situation. There are many different types to choose from so find one that will suit not only the moment but also long-term goals!

Where to start

The best way to find out what kind of affirmations work for you is by trying them. There are so many types that it can be hard to know where to start, but luckily we've made a list! A few examples I use include “I am always loved”, “I am beautiful”, “I am unique and loved by those who matter”, and one that I use more often than I care to admit, “Just because I'm alone, doesn't mean I'm lonely.” This last one may not sound like an affirmation, but it actually leads into a whole good spiel in my head about why I'd prefer to be on my own than surrounded by people with negative outlooks.

Below is a few examples of some affirmations you can start with:

-I am strong and capable.

-I am loved and I belong.

-I am important and my voice matters.

-I am forgiven and I am free.

-I am valuable and I have worth.

-I am safe and I am protected.

-I am grateful for all that I have.

-I choose joy.

-I choose love.

-I choose peace.

-I trust the process.

-Everything happens for a reason.

-I am open to new opportunities.

-I am resilient.

Choose one or two affirmations that are relevant to your own beliefs and repeat them frequently throughout the day as reminders of how much you matter and what's possible.

Make sure it works for you

Affirmations only work when you truly believe what you are saying to yourself, this may be hard at the start, so my best advice is to start small with something you believe in and work your way up to a big goal.

I personally had two goals, to be able to say I am beautiful to myself in the mirror and to believe I am worthy of living in this world. After three years of positive affirmations, I can confidently say I believe these two things EVERY SINGLE DAY. Now that's a win!

My flaws are what makes me an individual

We all have flaws, but you should love yourself anyway. Sometimes it can be hard to see your own beauty through the things that might make us feel ugly on a day, but there are three reasons why being truly happy with who we are starts by loving ourselves:

1. Other people will too
2. When something bad happens like an accident at work etc., those negative feelings won't last indefinitely since most people don’t spend much time dwelling on others' mistakes, so you shouldn't either
3. We're happier when we don't put pressure on ourselves of being perfect

I am unique and look beautiful as myself

You are beautiful and unique, you don't need to look like anyone else. You are special just the way you are. There is nobody in the world quite like you, so embrace your own individual style. Dress for yourself and not for other people. Wear clothes that make you feel good, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Be confident in your own skin and rock whatever look you want to achieve. Life is too short to blend in with the crowd, so express yourself however you see fit. Be proud of who you are, and never try to be anyone else but yourself.

I am not worried if I fail, it will benefit me in the future

Failure is not a bad thing, the way we learn best is actually from not succeeding in something we try, but rather when we fail. Think about when you were young, did you put your hand on something hot and hurt yourself? How about getting a word wrong? The likelihood is that the next time you went to do something similar, you improved from the previous failure. Mistakes and failures happen every day.

 No goal is unachievable as long as I believe in myself

We all have dreams. Sometimes they're small and sometimes they seem like impossible goals, but what matters is that you start with a dream to make it come true! You need the right mindset – one in which failure doesn't discourage or upset us because you know there will be plenty more chances for success on this earth. Putting big goals into small steps also helps you to see that you really can succeed. If you want to be a millionaire, then lay out all the steps you'll need to take to make that happen and then tick them off as you go. If you want to have 10 cats and 10 dogs, then make a list of what you'll need to make that happen. If you want to be a unicorn, write down all the places you can buy a onesie from and head out into the mystical woodlands, just don't go telling anyone our secret!

The future is bright, and I'm looking forward to it with wonder and happiness

Your future is bright and full of opportunities. There are so many things that you can do today to help shape it into an amazing experience! Your decisions now will have a lasting impact on how happy or successful tomorrow becomes for yourself, which means this small task should not go unappreciated – take some time out from your busy schedule (even if only 15 minutes) right now and say some of the above and below affirmations to yourself, or even say some other affirmations that mean something to you. 

I only compare myself to me

You are the only person you need to compare yourself to in any aspect of life. Comparing yourself to others can be very detrimental and actually lead you down the wrong path from what this article is leading you down. If you want to be successful in your life, then you want to start here; be the best version of yourself every day. If you did 5,000 steps yesterday, try for 6,000 today. If you said a genuine hello to 3 people yesterday, try to make those same 3 smile a genuine smile today.

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, including your size

You are wonderful. The beauty within you is what makes you beautiful. Makeup and clothes merely reflect the popular opinion of attractiveness, but inner beauty comes from the inside. What you think and how you act determines your true value. It's what really makes you gorgeous, how you interact with others and what you say to them. Be a flower, bloom from the inside out, not a fish head that rots from the inside out.

Saying no is okay because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter

Setting boundaries by saying no is not bad or selfish, in fact, you are allowed to say no to anything in your life. I strongly believe that if something doesn't fit in with your values, you should say no. Take time for yourself. Don't let anyone change who you are or your core beliefs. Be yourself and say what you feel since those around you who truly matter want you to be yourself, and those who mind when you say no really don't matter in the greater scheme of things.

The actions I made yesterday are creating the true me

You are the sum of your actions. Every day, we get opportunities to make ourselves better by learning from our past experiences and moving forward towards a more fulfilling future where mistakes don't define who you were but rather provide an opportunity for growth that can only lead someone closer toward success!

start it today

You’ve got this. You are a winner! You will overcome each obstacle and take the lesson from it to become a better person. If you're wanting some new affirmations, check out these cards from booktopia, or give this book a read.

Saying these affirmations every day will help you to improve your mindset. This mindset will help you to achieve greatness no matter what situation you find yourself in. Remember, you were born to do great things. You have to continue to make the choices every day that will shape your future.