Self-Love: List of 100 Daily Positive Affirmations

Before we get stuck into this list of positive affirmations, I want to share a bit of my history with affirmations, and why I believe in their simple power. You can also read this post about why and how affirmations work to understand better their potential.

I've been using affirmations now for nearly three years. They were a small but significant part in my recovery from post-natal depression and anxiety following the birth of my son in 2015. They are currently a small but significant part of my preparation for the birth of my second son later this year. As an author of contemporary fiction, they are also a small but very, very important part of my writing life, which is why I created WriteNOW Cards, for other writers to enjoy the same benefits. What I love most about positive affirmation is how little effort it takes, and yet how much of a big change it can bring.

Just repeating the same five or six positive words, again and again, can re-train your brain to think differently about the most important things in life, i.e. yourself, your future, your work. When you say positive statements again and again, and make it a habit, your brain listens and cannot ignore it and this has made my writing life more fun and more productive. What has proved a bit harder for me has been introducing affirmation into daily life.

I nearly always use one of my WriteNOW Cards when I write and work on my fiction, but not only do they mostly relate only to writing, I sadly don't write every day these days so I go some days without giving affirmation the small but significant attention it needs.

That's the reason I wrote this list of positive affirmations. I wanted a carefully selected list of positive affirmations that will help me every single day, and now I hope they can help you too. I've grouped these daily affirmations by topics or situations depending on your needs or the kind of day you're having so I hope they're still useful.

FURTHER READING: You can also find 100 free self-care activity ideas here, 100 healing affirmations here, and you should also sign up to my newsletter to get regular exclusive content sharing posts about affirmation, self-love and self-care.

A List of Positive Affirmations for Daily Life

Before we go any further, maybe it's worth quickly explaining exactly what affirmation is and how it's done with optimal impact. On the face if it, affirmations sounds easy - and it definitely is easy compared to other more time- and effort-consuming self-care acts I've tried like meditation or yoga - but like with everything, it can be hard to keep up with, and the benefits don't always come immediately. Of course, there are easy ways to get around this. Practice affirmation at roughly the same time every day. Get into the habit of thinking about affirmation when you feel low or vulnerable or stressed out. Write your favourite statements down on post-it notes and leave them in places you look regularly - your bathroom mirror, a kitchen cupboard, the back of your front door so you see one on your way out every day. Or you could try setting an alarm to remind yourself to spend a minute or two saying positive statements.

And when you do say your affirmations, say them out loud, if you can. There is research to say that when we self-talk out loud, we listen more closely, so it makes sense that the most effective way to practice affirmation is to actually say the statements aloud. I know this sounds obvious and simple, but I also know from talking to lots of people - and from my own experience - that saying affirmations out loud can actually be quite hard and almost always feels a bit weird. But you should take some comfort in this being the case. It's very rare that something that is only easy and only simple and doesn't provoke a reaction or resistance actually has a changing effect on you. In other words, it is in doing the strange or uncomfortable that we learn or change... for the better. This is definitely true of affirmation. If it helps try doing affirmation in the shower, when you're doing something else and there is already some background noise. Just give it as much of your attention as you possibly can and be very mindful of the words you are saying. Alternatively, try writing affirmations repeatedly, like the lines schools used to give as punishment. There is a lot of power in repetition however it happens, and you will already know this because I dare say you have the same old repetitive negative thoughts and you know only too well they are very effective at making you feel low or lousy. The same logic applies to having the same repeated positive thoughts, we just need to train ourselves to think and feel and believe these. Again, you can read more about why and how affirmation works here.

This brings me to another important point, pick your positive affirmations from this list wisely. We are all different people and I know from my writing experience that we all react to language and words and tone very differently. Affirmation will always be more effective if you choose positive statements that click and resonate with you naturally; statements that you either truly believe, or truly want to believe. And with that in mind, feel free to use this list to inspire some of your own! In fact, if you do have some that you love, please do leave a comment with your favourites as they may also help other readers... and me!

So let's get started with our list of affirmations.

Positive affirmations for every day and always

No matter your mood, no matter what a day throws at you, no matter where you find yourself, these are the daily affirmations that will always have a positive impact. They're also short, sweet, and to the point, which I think nearly all the most powerfully positive affirmations are. Say these out loud or in your head or under your breath when you feel you need a little extra focus, or calm or peace with yourself and your situation; or just simply when you need to remember how amazing you are.

1. I am enough. Always.

2. I am love.

3. I am loving.

4. I am loved.

5. I trust in the person I am.

6. I am kind to myself.

7. I make time to look after myself.

8. I deserve love and respect.

9. I am strong and capable.

10. I have a lot to offer the world.

Affirmations for a quick and meaningful mood boost

We all experience dips in mood, even when it seems everything is going well. While the statements above are life-affirming, I think the ones below are awesome-affirming. They're designed to remind yourself that you're not just enough, you are amazing too. You are a light that shines. So shine on, sunbeam!

11. I am sunshine.

12. I have a beautiful laugh.

13. My smile makes others smile.

14. I exude warmth and kindness.

15. My heart is full of love for who I am.

16. Love is what I believe in most of all.

17. My hugs are full of love and warmth.

18. I bring joy to the world.

19. I rock at being me!

20. I am proud of the person I am today, and the person I will be tomorrow.

Daily affirmations for work

We all have to work in one form or another whether that's looking after our children or caring for someone else (the hardest work of all in my opinion), running our own business or working long shifts, or going into an office and working our way up a career ladder. Work is part of our life, but it is not the only part of our life. Work deserves our positivity and focus - which is what these affirmations aim to achieve - but it also needs our balance and our rest. These affirmations will hopefully help you nurture a healthy relationship with your work, whatever that is.

21. I work hard and know my worth.

22. I have many skills to offer.

23. I place value on the experience I have, and my ability to learn and grow more.

24. I have the inner strength to navigate challenges at work.

25. I have my own definition of success.

26. I take pride in the work I do.

27. Work is an important part of my life but it is not my sole purpose or passion.

28. When I work, I apply myself with focus and positivity.

29. I take time to rest after working hard.

30. I am reliable, responsible and respected at work.

Affirmations to celebrate and fuel your creativity

If you've read this blog for more than a minute you'll know that I think creativity is the key to a fulfilling, fun and free life. We are built to have passion and creativity, and our brain rewards us with good hormones and happy chemicals when we indulge our creativity. But doing so in our busy world isn't always easy, but that doesn't make it less important. These affirmations aim to help you make space and time for your creativity. Now go make stuff!

31. I am a creative person.

32. There is always a place in the world for my creativity.

33. I share what I create with pride and grace.

34. The world wants more of what I have to offer.

35. There is always a place in the world for what I create and make.

36. I am passionate about my creativity.

37. My creativity has a purpose in my life and in the world.

38. My life is fuller when I make time and space for my creativity.

39. I keep my eyes, ears and heart open for creative inspiration.

40. Living a creative life is important to me; it makes me a healthier, happier person.

Daily affirmations for the relationships in your life

Having meaningful relationships is what makes us human and they are what makes life worth living, but they're not always easy, or uncomplicated or without their stresses and challenges. For this reason, reminding ourselves of what both our strengths and boundaries are as a friend, partner, parent or in any other role is really key to getting the most out of our relationships. 

41. I am worthy of love and trust in my relationships and friendships.

42. I actively nurture healthy relationships with the people I love.

43. I bring joy to those around me.

44. I am grateful for all who love and care for me.

45. My friendships are important to me.

46. I am a loyal, loving friend.

47. I know how important it is to just listen to others.

48. My friends love and respect me.

49. My relationships bring me joy.

50. I surround myself with people I love and care about, but also take time to nurture my relationship with myself.

Positive affirmations for your mental health

When we practice positive affirmations, any positive affirmation, we are nurturing our mind and mental health. However, that doesn't mean we can't do specific affirmation exercises to really speak to and care for our mental health. Of course, affirmation alone is not going to solve or cure the worst mental health illnesses or episodes, but it can be part of a soothing remedy that contributes to healing, and to its growth and development both immediately in the present moment - which is often what we crave most when suffering from mental health problems - but also in the future. So talk to your beautiful mind. Tell it you love it.

51. I focus on what I can control and I let go of what I can't.

52. I love my beautiful mind.

53. I invest in myself through big and small acts of self-care and self-love.

54. My inner strength knows no bounds.

55. I breathe in energy and love, I exhale negativity and doubt.

56. I take time to know my needs, limits and boundaries better.

57. Good mental health is a journey, not a destination.

58. My mental health is just as important as my physical health.

59. I'm not ashamed or alone in having mental health struggles.

60. I look after my mental health because it deserves my love.

Affirmations for your physical health

In the same vein, having a positive relationship with your body and physical health is very effective in improving your daily quality of life. I have long struggled with nurturing a positive relationship with my body and I only recently turned to affirmation because I saw how effective it has been with my writing. Now, I can most often be found using affirmation when I'm exercising or trying to sum up the energy and enthusiasm for exercise.

61. I am always stronger than I look and feel.

62. I walk tall and am proud of who I am.

63. My body is my best friend.

64. When I eat well, exercise and get enough sleep, I am investing in myself.

65. I am proud of all my body does for me, every single day.

66. I listen to what my body needs. 

67. I do not compare my body to other peoples' bodies.

68. I love what my body is capable of doing now and in the future.

69. I am thankful that my body is both beautiful and strong.

70. I use my body with love, pride and care.

Positive affirmations to help you on bad days

We all have bad days. Sometimes our bad days come and go without us really even thinking too much about them. But sometimes our bad days can drag us down and turn into something more problematic or unhelpful for longer than just one or two day. This is natural and normal, but it is also often avoidable. Taking a moment to acknowledge when we're having a bad day and that that is all it is, and that we're strong enough to see it through, could make a big difference. So remember these affirmations when you're having a bad day and be kind to yourself, always.

71. I am allowed to have bad days.

72. I am brave to endure days like today.

73. I am patient with and kind to myself.

74. Tomorrow is more than another day; it's another chance to shine.

75. I look forward to feeling better about things again.

76. Life is tough sometimes, but so am I.

77. I am a survivor and that makes me proud of myself.

78. On hard days like this, I love myself more than ever.

79. My bad days and unhappy moments will always pass.

80. I can see the end of this hard time, and I move towards it with every breath I take.

Affirmations to savour and benefit more from good days

So yes, we have bad days, but we also have good days. Yay! I often think I don't make the most of my good days. I almost feel that I should be having ONLY good days so I see them as the norm (and hence why bad days feel so abnormal and icky and damaging) but this is neither a realistic or healthy attitude. Instead, I try to celebrate my good moments and happy days and sort of bottle up that positivity to nurture my mental health and outlook on life so that I am better prepared for harder times.

81. I deserve to feel good about myself right now.

82. This positive energy is of my own creating.

83. I am excited by and for life.

84. I savour feeling good about myself.

85. It is important that I take a moment to cherish feeling at peace with myself.

86. These good days feed my soul and help me prepare for harder times.

87. I celebrate myself and what I have achieved today, and every day.

88. The future is bright, and so is the light shining inside me.

89. I aim to share with others the positivity and love I feel for life.

90. I smile with confidence in myself and in the future.

Positive affirmations celebrating your uniqueness

Being very aware of our uniqueness is not an exercise in stroking your ego or making you feel better than anybody else, but more it is a way to acknowledge our differences, our strengths and our need to be only ourselves. That is all we can be! Comparison is a dangerous game, so we should strive to avoid it at all costs, but of course in a world sharing only carefully filtered and curated highlights on social media there is constant temptation to compare and to question ourselves. Instead our energy would be much better spent getting to know and nurture ourselves, and yes, one of the ways we can do that is through affirmation.

91. I do not have to change for anybody.

92. There is nobody else in the world like me. That is my magic.

93. I am not afraid to be different.

94. I am true to my wonderful self.

95. I am loved for who I am right now.

Daily affirmations to honour future you

Depending on the kind of person you are, looking ahead to the future can bring any number of emotions or feelings. And of course, this will change day to day. Looking ahead with positivity and hope is not natural for many people, but it actually can be something we learn, or at least improve on, through positive affirmation. 

96. In the future, all will be well with my beautiful soul.

97. I trust that I am strong enough to face whatever the future brings.

98. I deserve good things in my future.

99. I look forward to living tomorrow, and tomorrow's tomorrow.

100. Sometimes I don't know where I'm going, but I will find my way. And it will be fabulous.

Now, over to you. Please do share your favourite affirmations from this list - or ones you're already using - and if you'd like to save or share this post, here's an image you can pin: