40 Positive Affirmations to Help Create Positive Thought Patterns

Falling into a pattern of negative and anxious thoughts can be a hard cycle to break. And, whilst we try to uplift others, we are often guilty of failing to treat ourselves with the same compassion. Negative self-belief impacts us in the present, and also stands in the way of our goals and dreams.

Enter positive affirmations. These personal mantras encourage us to refocus our minds and help shift our thought patterns from negative to positive. In doing so, they boost our self-esteem, motivation and mindset.

MindTools explain it best: "Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.

"You might consider affirmations to be unrealistic wishful thinking. But try looking at positive affirmations this way: many of us do repetitive exercises to improve our physical health, and affirmations are like exercises for our mind and outlook. These positive mental repetitions can reprogram our thinking patterns so that, over time, we begin to think – and act – differently."

Positive affirmations help to replace negative beliefs and thought processes with more productive and positive ones. They're also useful when trying to achieve a goal as they help you feel motivated and focused.