Palby Self-care

Affirmations

50 positive affirmations that don't sound like a poster

Plain lines in five sets. Keep the one that sounds like you and skip the rest.

For a hard day

  1. 1.I'm allowed to be tired.
  2. 2.Today doesn't have to go well to count.
  3. 3.I can do the next small thing and leave the rest.
  4. 4.I've had bad days before and I'm still here.
  5. 5.I don't have to explain this to anyone right now.
  6. 6.It's okay that this is hard.
  7. 7.I can start again in an hour.
  8. 8.Getting through it is enough for today.
  9. 9.I can ask for help and still be me.
  10. 10.I don't have to feel fine to be doing fine.

About yourself

  1. 11.I'm allowed to like who I am on an ordinary day.
  2. 12.I'm more than the worst thing I did this week.
  3. 13.I can be kind and still say no.
  4. 14.I don't need to earn a rest.
  5. 15.I know more than I give myself credit for.
  6. 16.My way of doing this is allowed to be different.
  7. 17.I can change my mind.
  8. 18.I've done harder things than this.
  9. 19.I'm still learning, and that's fine.
  10. 20.I'm good company.

About rest

  1. 21.Doing nothing for a while is allowed.
  2. 22.I can stop before I'm exhausted.
  3. 23.I can come back to it after a break.
  4. 24.I don't owe anyone a busy day.
  5. 25.Slow is a speed too.
  6. 26.I can take five minutes without a reason.
  7. 27.I can close the laptop and nothing will fall apart.
  8. 28.A quiet day isn't a wasted day.
  9. 29.I'm allowed to sit down.
  10. 30.I can leave it for now.

About other people

  1. 31.I can't make everyone like me, and I can stop trying.
  2. 32.Someone else's mood isn't my job.
  3. 33.I can say what I need in plain words.
  4. 34.People who care about me don't need a perfect version.
  5. 35.I can leave a conversation that's going nowhere.
  6. 36.Being compared doesn't change what I've done.
  7. 37.I can love people and still need time alone.
  8. 38.I don't have to answer straight away.
  9. 39.I can apologise once and mean it.
  10. 40.I'm allowed to be the one who asks.

About getting on with things

  1. 41.I can start badly.
  2. 42.Done is fine. It doesn't have to be good yet.
  3. 43.One small step is still a step.
  4. 44.I can try it and see.
  5. 45.I don't have to know the whole plan.
  6. 46.It's fine to change course.
  7. 47.I can do this at my own pace.
  8. 48.I've started over before.
  9. 49.I can be scared and still go.
  10. 50.A small thing done beats a big thing planned.

How to use them

Read the list until one line sounds like something you might say. Say it out loud or write it down. Stick it somewhere you'll see it. If a line feels false, skip it. There's no prize for forcing it.

More to try

Common questions

What are positive affirmations?

They're short lines you say or write about yourself. Most are in the first person, like "I can start badly."

Do I need to believe them?

No, but it's easier if you nearly do. That's why these are plain. Pick a line you could say with a straight face.

How many should I use?

One is plenty. Keep it for as long as it's useful, then swap it.