Learn these simple phrases to tell yourself when feeling anxious.
Feeling anxious can be physically and mentally draining. Anxiety can make your heart race, your body temperature rise, your hands shake, and your stomach churn. These feelings can interfere with your ability to progress toward your goals or find joy in your day.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to feel less anxious, reduce worry, and limit overthinking. Anxiety can lead to overwhelming emotions and thoughts, but telling yourself positive phrases can make a difference.
These phrases can ease the anxiety and soothe you until you experience relief. It’s a form of soothing self-talk that can make you feel better and shift your mindset. The words can help you relax, calm your nerves, breathe easier, relieve tension, and practice being kind to yourself.
The phrases you choose should involve purposefully telling yourself comforting and helpful things. It helps alleviate your anxious thoughts, allowing you to feel better and focus on the present.
20 Phrases to Tell Yourself When You Feel Anxious
The phrases you use for anxiety should vary based on each experience. By choosing the ones that apply to your feelings and thoughts at that moment, you can overcome them more quickly. These phrases will give you a good idea of what to tell yourself in many different situations.
1 – Do something to release your anxious feelings.
You can’t always push away and ignore your thoughts when anxiety starts. They become all-consuming, preventing you from focusing on anything else. When this happens, it’s sometimes best to do something to let the thoughts go and move forward.
You can spend time writing about it, going into detail, and journaling everything that comes to mind. Another option is to take some time to relax and rejuvenate, allowing your mind time to rest. Anything that helps you stop worrying can lead to finding peace today, so it’s essential to find a positive distraction from overthinking.
You can also:
- vent to a trusted source
- plan for overcoming the cause of your anxious feelings
- do something physical to force your mind to think of something else
2 – There are always other possibilities to focus on.
When you feel anxious, you often fixate on one possible explanation or potential outcome. It can make you feel like there aren’t any other options. However, there are always other possibilities, and reassuring yourself can help you feel better.
Your gut reaction can often involve negativity, and anxiety can cause the thoughts to spiral. Always consider your situation from another perspective to find a more positive answer.
Repeating this phrase helps, and you can also elaborate on it by asking yourself:
- Is there another possibility I’m not considering?
- Could there be another explanation for what happened?
- Are past experiences influencing my feelings?
- What other outcomes might I experience?
3 – I am okay right now, and the past and future can’t hurt me.
Anxious thoughts often revolve around the past and the future. You might ruminate about things from the past that you can’t change. Or, you might fixate on what may happen without proof that it’s the only potential outcome.
When this happens, remind yourself that you are okay. You’re safe, and what happened or might occur can’t hurt you in the present.
4 – I’m focusing on what I can control and releasing the rest.
Sometimes anxiety stems from being unable to control things. You can’t always guarantee how things will turn out, but this phrase can help you shift your mindset.
Focusing on things you can control helps you release anxious feelings and move forward with a clear mind. Then, the things you can’t control can play their course while you focus on other things. Before you know it, you’ll have made it through the situation.
Anxious feelings seem to take over, and you might feel like you can’t do anything about it. However, you are in control and can do things to calm yourself. Rather than letting the thoughts and feelings spiral, you can use this positive phrase to help you overcome.
5 – Life is good because I have what I need, so I push forward until I feel better.
This phrase helps you recall all the good parts of your life and recognize that you have what you need. If your basic needs are met, you can find a way to overcome anything else, and this gentle reminder can ease your anxious feelings.
Keep repeating this phrase and thinking of all you have going for you until you feel the negative slip away. It also encourages you to keep pushing through because you will feel better.
6 – Letting the anxiety happen will help them pass more quickly.
Sometimes you can’t push away your feelings and focus on something else. In those moments, it’s best to let things play out.
Resisting them can worsen the situation, while letting them happen allows them to pass. Remind yourself that the feelings will pass and that you only have to get through one moment at a time.
7 – I might feel bad and anxious, but I am loved and supported.
Recognizing that you’re not alone can help you feel better and resist overthinking. You have people who love and support you, so think of them as you repeat this phrase. It reminds you that you’re enough and that you have people who love you for who you are.
8 – I’m processing my thoughts but not giving them the power to hurt me.
When negative thoughts run through your mind, this phrase reminds you that you don’t have to give them power. Your thoughts aren’t always accurate, so don’t attach meaning to them if you know they’re detrimental to your well-being.
Instead, replace them with something positive when they come to your mind. Don’t allow them to interfere with your happiness.
9 – I can take time to calm down and spend time relaxing.
You might feel bad relaxing because you think you constantly have to work hard. However, you can take a break to recover from stress, worry, and overthinking. You deserve time to calm down and be comfortable as you work through your feelings.
10 – My anxious thoughts aren’t facts.
One of the best things to tell yourself is that your thoughts aren’t always accurate. When anxious, you’ll experience negative overthinking and rush to conclusions. Take some time to reaffirm that your thoughts aren’t facts, so you can calm down.
11 – Worrying is temporary, and it won’t change what happens.
Overthinking and worrying about the future won’t change the outcome. It also prevents you from enjoying the present and being grateful for what you have. Remembering that worrying will pass and won’t change anything can help you refocus on what’s happening in your life.
12 – I’m practicing self-love and compassion when I feel anxious.
Focusing on self-love and compassion can help you feel better. It allows you to process your feelings without judgment or negativity so that you can move forward. This phrase reminds you to be kind to yourself and encourages you to do things that make you happy and feel good.
13 – These feelings are uncomfortable, but they will pass.
Feeling anxious is uncomfortable, but this phrase can reassure you that you won’t feel this way forever. No matter what happens, you can resolve your issues and improve your life.
14 – I am strong enough to get through anything, and each experience strengthens me.
You can get through anything, and when you overcome it, you’ll be more robust than before. This phrase reminds you that you can do anything, so don’t give up. Keep pushing until you feel better and your anxiety subsides so that you can see the beneficial outcome you worked hard for.
15 – It’s okay if I don’t have my life figured out.
When you don’t have everything figured out, you might spiral. However, it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers yet. Life is a journey that changes continually, and waiting for the best decision can sometimes be a blessing.
16 – I have plenty of things to look forward to.
This phrase is for you if you ever think you don’t have anything to look forward to. There’s always something you can be excited about, no matter how small.
You can be excited about a family game night, getting comfortable in bed, or spending time with loved ones. When you think of life this way, you’ll always have something to look forward to, making the future seem less daunting.
17 – I know that everything is going to be okay.
You can never guarantee what will happen in the future, but everything will work out. It’ll be okay, even if things don’t turn out how you wanted them to. Life will work out, and this reminder can help ease your worry.
18 – This is hard, but anxiety is my body’s way of protecting me.
Recognizing that your body is protecting you when you feel anxious can help you feel better. You’ll realize that it’s a natural response, allowing you to focus on the task rather than how your anxiety makes you feel.
19 – Focusing on my breathing can help me feel calm when anxious.
You can ease anxious feelings and calm your mind by focusing on breathing. Find somewhere to sit and take some time to breathe without thinking of anything else. You might still have fleeting thoughts, and that’s okay if you refocus and return to your breathing.
20 – I might not have wanted this change to occur, but I can make the most of it.
Sometimes change can trigger anxiety because it’s uncomfortable, especially when you didn’t choose it. Accepting and embracing change can help you work through your anxious feelings and view the situation as a positive experience.
You can use this phrase anytime throughout the day, whenever you feel anxiety creeping in. It’s a small but powerful way to boost your mental health and help you stay positive no matter what happens.
When things change, you can’t always control them, but you can decide how you feel. Make a conscious effort to focus on your feelings and other things you can control, and release the discomfort of being unable to prevent change.
Final Thoughts on Phrases to Tell Yourself When You Feel Anxious
When you find a phrase that resonates with you, save it for future reference. You can write it down, e-mail it to yourself, or take a screenshot to look back on. Then, repeat the phrases anytime you feel anxious.
You might feel uncomfortable at first, but after a couple of weeks of repetition, it’ll feel natural, and you’ll experience the benefits. The phrases will begin to feel more accurate and eventually pop into your mind without thinking about it.
