Self Esteem Affirmations for Women | Powerful female affirmations

To understand how positive affirmations work, you need to understand a bit about how your brain works. It’s formed of millions of structures known as neural pathways.

These pathways become stronger with use. So by repeating a thought or action, it becomes part of the physical structure of your brain.

Neural pathways can form and change throughout our lives through a process called neuroplasticity. This is what enables us to learn new skills at any age.

The stronger a neural pathway becomes, the more automatic and frequent the thought or belief becomes.

But why do beliefs matter? Because they influence the way we behave and the energy we put into our work, relationships, and life.

The result is that thoughts and beliefs become self-fulfilling prophecies. This is true whether they are positive or negative.

This may sound like wishful thinking. But there is scientific evidence that backs up the effectiveness of affirmations. One study found that affirmations activate the brain’s reward centers. This helps to create, reshape, and strengthen new neural pathways.

How Affirmations Can Empower Women

Unfortunately, women face many challenges unique to them due to influences like inequity and misogyny. Women are far more likely to experience domestic violence, sexual harassment, and workplace discrimination than men. Women (and AFAB people) also experience pregnancy discrimination in the workplace as well as threats to reproductive freedom. Further, trans women are disproportionately affected by harassment, physical abuse and violence, and sexual assault.

While real systemic change needs to occur, positive affirmations can help empower women to reach out for help and support from doctors, mental health professionals, lawyers, nonprofits, and more.

Daily Positive Affirmations for Women

Positive daily affirmations are good to incorporate into a self-care routine. They enhance positive thinking and can help improve confidence. People can focus on affirmations that support their goals, whether that’s self-acceptance, working well under pressure, or being grateful for life’s gifts.

The positive energy of affirmations can help block negative comments from other people in both past and present. Try repeating affirmations while looking in the mirror in the morning. Or write the affirmation on a sticky note and attach it to a computer monitor. This could help bring more positivity to the workplace.

1. I am valued exactly as I am.
2. I am capable of accomplishing anything I put my mind to.
3. I uplift the people around me.
4. I can create all I truly desire.
5. I deserve abundance in all parts of my life.
6. My love and compassion create harmony in my life.
7. I am grateful for the changing of the seasons and the changes in my life.
8. I take time each day to nurture my spirit and find serenity within.
9. I deserve to be happy.
10. I am in tune with my innermost feelings.
11. My negative thoughts and feelings are transformed into love.
12. I give thanks for the life I am creating.
13. I embrace the new possibilities life brings me.
14. I’m grateful for the past experiences that helped expand my understanding of myself.
15. I am comfortable with who I am.
16. I open my mind and heart to the world around me.
17. Health, wealth, and harmony are entering my life.
18. I move through life with confidence.
19. I trust myself, my instincts, and the love in my heart.
20. I am confident in the path I’m walking.

How Practicing Affirmations Can Help Improve Self-Esteem

Researchers believe positive daily affirmations work with something called self-affirmation theory.(5) Put simply, this theory states that maintaining self-identity, or the way they see themselves, is a strong motivator for people.

Someone who doesn’t see themselves as capable or good will act in ways that reinforce that negative perception. Affirmations create a favorable image of the self in the brain. This can encourage someone to make positive changes to support this image, improving self-esteem.

Affirmations work best when they reflect a person’s core personal values. Using a statement that doesn’t gel with an individual’s picture of goodness or success is unlikely to be effective. Daily affirmations can help people create a vision of their best self.

They’re also a good and healthy way to move past mistakes and accept every part of the self. It’s important to avoid wishing to be a new person; this will make an individual less confident rather than lifting them up. The strength of affirmation is in helping someone become comfortable in their own skin and able to inspire the people around them.

How Affirmations Work: The Science Explained

Self-affirmation theory asserts that individuals are motivated to keep a positive view of themselves and who they are. And any threats to this positive view are met with resistance, causing people to experience psychological discomfort or distress. Using positive self-affirmations can help women maintain this positive self-view by allowing them to reflect on self-worth, core values, and beyond.[2]

This can be relevant to women, especially those sitting at the intersection of several marginalized identities such as trans women of color, who experience discrimination, violence, intimate partner violence, misogyny, transmisogyny, and sexism. Abusers and perpetrators of violence may threaten women’s self-view and self-esteem, but affirmations can remind them of their self-worth and empower them to take action or seek support.

Research shows a scientific basis for the benefits of positive affirmations. Studies have revealed that people who use affirmations show increased activity in vital parts of the brain that are responsible for valuation, future-related core values, and self-processing. [2]

This research also revealed the self-affirmations can result in behavior change, highlighting the efficacy of positive affirmations.[2]

Daily Morning Affirmations

Morning affirmations for women can help start each day positively. Choose statements that boost positive energy for the day’s activities. People can make their own affirmations by choosing a quality they want to encourage and turning it into their own statement.

Set the statement in the present, not the future—for example, “I am happy” rather than “I will be happy.” This helps make the brain’s pathways firmer and can encourage positive action. It’s also important to use affirmations to make room for rest, healing, and finding inner peace.

1. I do what I love and love what I do.
2. Each new day is full of possibility.
3. I am happy. I am healing. I am loved.
4. I am open to the messages the universe has for me today.
5. I am filled with vitality and ready for the day.
6. Being firm in my boundaries is a kindness to myself.
7. I have all the happiness I need to experience joy every day.
8. Each moment of this new day brings opportunities for happiness.
9. My life is not a race; there is time for pleasure and reflection.
10. I am ready to ask for what I want and need.
11. My heart, mind, and life are open to change.
12. I deserve the most amazing day.
13. I have the wisdom and strength to overcome any challenge that today brings.
14. My greatest strength comes from being my authentic self.
15. I choose to be connected to the world, not separate from it.
16. Prosperity flows to me.
17. I make choices that are right for me.
18. Every day, I am making my dreams a reality.
19. I can confront my fears and leave behind the things I no longer need.
20. Rest is essential to my health and happiness.

How Morning Affirmations Can Cultivate Positive Energy

Starting the day with positivity helps cultivate that energy, from breakfast through the workday and from picking up the kids to falling asleep. On the other hand, a negative attitude can put a dampener on the whole day. Choosing positive morning affirmations can help create the most amazing day every day.

Some people think affirmations are too simple to work, but there are some research studies supporting them. One study found that any form of positive thinking decreases anxiety and worry.(6) Repeating an affirmation can help increase serotonin and dopamine—the feel-good chemicals—in the brain. This boosts mood and optimism, helping a person prepare to face the day’s challenges. This means morning affirmations help you choose happiness in your daily life.

“I Am” Affirmations

When Helen Reddy sang, “I am strong. I am invincible. I am woman,” she created a feminist anthem from “I am” affirmations. The song proudly declared the qualities women have, helping overcome negative thoughts women struggled with.

“I am” affirmations for women are perhaps the simplest and most powerful affirmations to use. People can easily create one of these affirmations for their own life by putting the words “I am” in front of a quality they want to bolster. Using a confident “I am” statement as part of morning affirmations can help create a happy life.

1. I am full of creative ideas.
2. I am proud of who I am.
3. I am full of love for myself and others.
4. I am enough.
5. I am doing the best I can.
6. I am worthy of respect and compassion.
7. I am beautiful inside and out.
8. I am taking positive steps every day.
9. I am talented.
10. I am powerful.
11. I am perfect the way I am.
12. I am proud of my accomplishments.
13. I am at peace with my past.
14. I am more powerful than I know.
15. I am full of gratitude for my life.
16. I am succeeding in life.
17. I am resilient.
18. I am prepared for my dreams to come true.
19. I am the only person responsible for my happiness.
20. I am capable of overcoming life’s challenges.

How Reciting These Can Improve Negative Self-Talk

Despite the simple power of “I am” affirmations, they can be difficult to recite. Many people find it difficult to say something they don’t believe. It feels awkward to repeat a phrase that doesn’t feel true.

In some ways, this is the work. Saying the positive phrase brings positive change, essentially speaking the truth into being. However, people who cringe as they look in the mirror and state “I am strong” are rarely speaking confidently.

It’s okay to start small with affirmations. People can emphasize the work they’re doing to improve, such as using “I am learning” or “I am becoming” statements.

It can also be powerful to focus on statements that are true. Often women dismiss their accomplishments, minimizing the work they do. Showing respect for current achievements can help overcome negative self-talk. Something similar to “I am providing a nurturing environment for my children” may be a good place to start.

There are other tips for overcoming affirmation awkwardness. Try writing the affirmations down, saying them when alone, or repeating them silently as part of a meditation. It’s also important to choose affirmations that reflect personal values and circumstances that would bring joy and happiness.

Now, let’s break each of these down.

1. I am enough. I have enough.

This affirmation will increase your confidence and counter feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt. The second part helps put you in a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity.

2. I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.

This quote by the late best-selling author and self-help queen Louise Hay is an excellent affirmation. It can help when you deal with comparison and social expectations.

3. I can do hard things.

Use this affirmation when you feel overwhelmed or burnt out by a problem or challenge.

4. I allow myself to be more fully me.

This affirmation can help you cultivate self-acceptance and learn to be more authentic.

5. I believe in myself.

Use this affirmation to find the courage to take on challenges or find your true north, even when others don’t believe in you.

6. I am grateful for another day of life.

Life can be hard, and sometimes we take it for granted. Reminding yourself to be grateful for your life can help you live it more fully.

7. I am worthy of what I desire.

This affirmation by Gabrielle Bernstein is intended to help you pursue your dreams and find your passion.

8. I choose myself.

Sometimes, we wait for others to give us permission to do the things we want to do. By choosing yourself, you give yourself permission to do anything you put your mind to.

9. I am resilient in the face of challenges.

This reminds you that you’re stronger than you think and have the resilience to handle anything life throws at you.

10. I am proud of myself and my achievements.

This can help you stop comparing yourself to others or waiting for someone else to tell you they’re proud of you.

11. I will accomplish everything I need to do today.

Whether you’re a procrastinator or perfectionist, this affirmation will help you get things done.

12. I do my best, and my best is good enough.

This affirmation can motivate you to give the best of yourself. But it also gives you the opportunity to show self-compassion if you fail to accomplish everything you intended.

13. I prioritize my well-being.

This affirmation can help you solidify new, healthier habits.

14. I overcome my fears by getting out of my comfort zone.

The best way to overcome fears is to face them. This affirmation can help you find the courage to grow and get out of your comfort zone.

15. I am love, and I am loved.

This is a good reminder for those days when you might not feel so loveable.

16. I am effortlessly prosperous and successful.

This is a good affirmation for improving your financial wellness.

17. I trust my inner guidance and follow it.

This affirmation can help you strengthen and learn to trust your intuition.

18. I accept my emotions and let them move through me.

This affirmation can help with emotional regulation.

19. I take care of myself, mind, body, and spirit.

Use this affirmation to integrate self-care practices that soothe your mind, body, and soul.

20. I trust myself to make the right decisions.

This affirmation can help you when you need to make a decision or simply want to improve your decision-making abilities.

21. I give myself permission to take up space.

Use this affirmation to show up more confidently in the world as your whole self.

22. I use my voice to speak up for myself and others.

It takes courage to speak out against injustice. This affirmation can help you find that courage.

23. I trust that I’m heading in the right direction.

Sometimes we can have doubts about our life choices or path. Let this affirmation reassure you you’re on the right track.

24. I allow myself to make mistakes as they help me grow.

Making mistakes is part of the learning process, but we’re often so afraid of making them we don’t even try. This affirmation will give you the courage to make mistakes and try again.

25. I accept myself exactly as I am without judgment.

This affirmation can help you be less self-critical.

26. I have everything I need to achieve my goals.

Use this affirmation to remind yourself that you already have the talent and skills necessary to achieve what you desire.

27. I am constantly generating brilliant ideas.

This affirmation can help you overcome creative blocks.

28. I am safe and supported.

We all feel insecure at times. This affirmation can help you feel safer and more grounded.

29. I love and accept myself.

Self-love is fundamental for a fulfilling life. Use this affirmation to cultivate more self-acceptance and compassion.

30. I am kind to myself and others.

The world needs a little more kindness. This affirmation can help you embody it.

Powerful affirmations to say daily

If you want to start a daily practice of setting your intention, affirmation statements can help. Try saying these to yourself as you get ready for the day, on your morning commute, or before bed.

• I am the architect of my destiny.
• I am a magnet for success and abundance.
• I radiate confidence and positivity.
• I am fearless in pursuing my goals.
• I am a force of nature.
• I create my own opportunities.
• I am in control of my life.
• I am aligned with my highest purpose.
• I am a powerful creator.
• I attract positivity and repel negativity.

Short positive affirmations

These are perfect if you want to keep your messaging brief. Or you can combine a few depending on what you need to reaffirm that day.

• I am worthy.
• I am strong.
• I am confident.
• I am enough.
• I am capable.
• I am resilient.
• I am loved.
• I am at peace.
• I am grateful.
• I am growing.