There's no one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to confidence: Some people are just born self-assured, while others have to work to feel secure in their own skin. But no matter which camp you're in, daily affirmations are an invaluable resource to build your confidence—and even send it skyrocketing.
"Affirmations help you try on confidence; they are the bridge between how you currently feel to how you want to feel," Arissan Nicole, career and confidence coach, tells Best Life. "They are a tool to reprogram your subconscious and underlying beliefs that keep you in negative thought cycles. Using them as a simple grounding practice allows you to turn inwards when outwardly your confidence feels shaky."
Abbey Sangmeister, LPC, approved clinical supervisor (ACS), entrepreneur, psychotherapist, and burnout coach, recommends doing your affirmations either first thing in the morning and/or right before bed, as studies on neuroplasticity show this is the most ideal time. By doing this every day, you're also training your mind to think a certain way, which can be especially helpful if you're prone to negative self-talk.
"When we embrace a consistent affirmation practice, we give the psyche a steady influx of kindness, compassion, and positivity," clinical psychologistCarla Marie Manly, PhD, author of Joy From Fear, explains. "This type of uplifting ritual will naturally diminish the negative thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors (e.g., negative self-talk) that work against confidence and self-esteem. Affirmations train our brains to mindfully focus on what is positive in ourselves and our lives; this is the perfect antidote to low self-confidence."
Understanding why you should try affirmations is probably clear, but you may be stuck on what you actually need to say. In that case, experts offer a few statements you can jot down for future use. Read on for eight affirmations that will have you feeling more sure of yourself.
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1 | "I deserve to take up space."
Prostock-studio / ShutterstockWhen it comes to building confidence, you simultaneously need to build a sense of self-worth. That's where an affirmation like, "I deserve to take up space," can help you recognize and your place in this world.
"When we lack confidence it's easy to shrink, keep ourselves from being seen, and apologize for literally just existing," Kelsey Lettko, certified life coach, says. "But you do deserve to take up space with your thoughts, ideas, needs, opinions, emotions, and body! Living confidently comes with taking up space, and getting more comfortable with that is a huge step in your confidence journey."
She adds that this affirmation "can help you rewrite your inner story so that you take up the space you deserve, and live a life that feels authentically yours."
2 | "I do my best and that is enough."
Krakenimages.com / ShutterstockAccording to Gina Newton, certified personal trainer and holistic body coach, this affirmation helps with internal validation, as opposed to external validation that you would get from others.
"Relying on external validation for confidence can be precarious. This affirmation reinforces that your validation comes from within, allowing you to feel confident regardless of others' opinions," Newton explains. "Trusting yourself to give your best effort is a crucial aspect of confidence. The affirmation reinforces this self-trust, enabling you to believe in your abilities and decisions."
If you struggle with comparing yourself to others, you can also give Manly's slightly different version a try: "I let go of comparison to others; I will focus my energy on being my best, imperfect self."
RELATED: 9 Affirmations to Always Stay Positive.
3 | "I know when something is right for me."
G-Stock Studio / ShutterstockAnother pivotal component of confidence is being sure you've made the right decisions for you. No one enjoys that nagging feeling of self-doubt, which is where an affirmation like "I know when something is right for me" is useful.
"We all have an intuition, even if we just know it as a 'gut feeling,'" Lizzie Rose Reiss, oncology reiki practitioner and teacher of energy healing behind Magic is Real, says. "By recognizing that you know what's right for you deep inside, you're cultivating a relationship with yourself that you can trust. The more you trust yourself, the easier confidence is to feel and radiate."
4 | “I am unapologetic in who I am and what matters to me."
Krakenimages.com / ShutterstockIf you find that you're always undermining yourself, or perhaps saying "sorry" more often than you should, experts recommend reminding yourself of your strength by repeating, "I am unapologetic in who I am and what matters to me."
"This affirmation grounds into your internal power and knowing helps drown out the outside noise, which is a common confidence shaker," Nicole says. "Affirmations like this one helps remind you how powerful and unstoppable you are!"
5 | "I have something valuable to contribute to the world."
GaudiLab / ShutterstockIf there's one thing that you should keep in mind when working on your confidence, it should be the fact that you are worthy (no matter how your mind may try to trick you).
"As a hypnotherapist who has worked with hundreds of people, the most common underlying subconscious blocks that people face are: I'm not deserving, I'm not good enough and I'm not worthy," Julie Costa, certified life coach and clinical hypnotherapist, says. "By affirming 'I have something valuable to contribute to this world,' it helps to start loosening these underlying subconscious blocks of being deserving, good enough, and worthy."
She notes that this affirmation helps highlight your unique contributions, which only you can give to the world.
"By repeating this affirmation, one can start [shifting] the belief that they are, in fact, deserving, good enough, and worthy, which in turn leads to increased confidence," Costa says.
6 | "My voice matters."
fizkes / ShutterstockThis short and sweet—but equally effective—affirmation can help you recognize the value of what you have to say.
"When we lack confidence, it can be hard to speak up. By affirming that your voice matters, it's a reminder to you and your subconscious that your voice does indeed deserve to be heard," Lettko says.
She notes that this is an affirmation you could say ahead of a meeting.
"If you have trouble speaking up in meetings, repeat this affirmation to yourself beforehand," Lettko suggests. "Notice how it feels in your body when you affirm that your voice matters. Chances are you will be more likely to speak up and share your brilliance when your inner story is supportive."
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7 | "I am more powerful than my mind realizes."
iStockYou can really challenge negative self-talk and beliefs with this affirmation, Newton says, as it encourages you to tune in to "untapped potential and self-discovery."
"It encourages individuals to recognize that their capabilities go beyond their conscious awareness and perceived limitations," she says. "Many people tend to underestimate themselves or focus on self-doubt. This affirmation challenges such negative self-perceptions by suggesting that there's a reserve of power and potential that can be harnessed, leading to a more positive and confident self-image."
8 | Every day I become more confident.
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet / ShutterstockIf you like to be straightforward with your affirmations, you can simply reassure yourself that you're actively improving your confidence levels.
"The wording of this affirmation implies gradual progress and is an affirmation that someone's subconscious mind can get on board with faster versus saying, 'I am confident,' as if it's already happened instantaneously," Costa explains.
You can bolster this one with other phrases like "more and more" and "growing," both of which reinforce the idea of ongoing change.
"By focusing on daily improvement, individuals are encouraged to appreciate and celebrate their small victories, boosting their confidence over time," Costa concludes.
Manly also suggests her own variation of this affirmation, where you instead say, "One loving step at a time, I am creating stronger self-love and confidence."
