Positive Affirmations for Mental Strength

When I bought my first car, I immediately drove it home with a great sense of accomplishment. For more than a year, I saved a big chunk of my salary from my two jobs to buy a car with cash, not credit. I am not self-indulgent, but at that moment, I felt like I earned the bragging rights. So, I took a quick snap to post on my Instagram Story for just a 24-hour show-off; after all, it barely reaches a couple dozen views. I posted it with the text “Nothing’s impossible.”

I have never felt so validated and affirmed. Within a few minutes, I received congratulatory messages from the people I am close with. A few hours in, I received a DM (direct message) from my life-long best friend, who now lives in a different state. I was elated and instantly opened the message that said: “Awesome, man! I bought a car this week, too.” Before I could reply, my phone buzzed for yet another message from him: a photo of his new car—a red 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

That moment felt like a blow to my stomach. Of course, I kept with the small talk, but I just can’t help but think that my accomplishment was rather petty. I started comparing my capabilities to his and just went down a spiral of sad thoughts. To be honest, I cried that night.

Social Comparison Theory

I cannot say that my candid reaction was uncalled for. We all tend to compare ourselves with others, especially in terms of wealth, attractiveness, intelligence, and success. The Social Comparison Theory was developed in 1954 by Leon Festinger, a well known American social psychologist. This continuing comparison may be both beneficial or detrimental to a person.

For instance, say you are a track and field athlete competing in a race; you will automatically observe your competitors to make sure you are running at the right pace. Our brains are naturally wired to observe, evaluate, and compare ourselves with others.

Social comparison may help a person get motivated to improve themselves. For example, I personally have a poster of a male model with a muscular torso and replaced the head with my own photo to inspire me and get me moving. A healthy reminder of “I want to be like him” pushes me to dust off my dumbbells and lift weights. But whenever I see a Jeep Wrangler, social comparison kicks in and reminds me of my (self-perceived) inferiority.

At Risk

In this day and age, we find ourselves caught through a web of interconnectedness that we would have never even thought possible two decades ago. This is mainly because of the swift advancement in technology and the massive presence of social media.

Although I use them, I am not a frequenter of these social media channels. To be fair, I find them a handy tool to communicate and stay in the loop with your friends and family. But as we can observe more among the younger demographic, others grow dependent on these social media channels. They measure their value on how many likes, hearts, and followers they have. Although it is more common among the youth, I have seen adults fall into this pit of self-loathe and envy because of social media, compounded with life’s stresses.

We are all equally at risk of social media-induced comparison that triggers a domino effect that may ultimately affect our mental strength. But of course, we can be resilient through the mindful cultivation of a healthy mind with self-affirmation.

How Do Positive Affirmations Strengthen the Mind?

One of the most relevant answers to this question comes from Amy Morin, a psychotherapist, best-selling author, and mental strength trainer. As a matter of fact, her keynote speech at TEDxTalks in 2015 became one of the most popular TED Talks ever. It’s called The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong, and you can watch it here. 

She drives the point that we build our mental strength with small habits that we develop for ourselves. She mentions that we avoid discomfort by going through great lengths and distracting ourselves. To sum up, she adds that the only way out is through.

Feel What You Feel

Your emotions are valid. There is nothing wrong with feeling sad. You do not have to pretend you’re not sad because what you are going through is legitimate. It would be best if you unpacked this emotional baggage to not have to carry it moving forward.

Challenge Yourself

Going to the gym and lifting weights result in an aching body, but it is necessary for growth and strength. This is also true for mental strength. Little by little, you will muster up the courage to go through uncomfortable situations; accept them as they are, change what you can, and move on.

Be Grateful

Gratitude plays a big part in a healthy mind, according to Dr. Amy Morin herself. Practicing gratefulness helps put things into perspective and encourages inner fulfillment. Apart from that, gratitude brings with it a lot of benefits. You can read more about gratitude here.

Why is it important to have strength of mind?

Much like our bodies, we need to also intentionally strengthen our minds to withstand the various stresses that life throws at us. Like hitting the gym, willful daily reminders will buff up our mind muscles and may ultimately lead to better thought life. Here are a few reasons why you would want to nurture a practice of self-affirmation for mental strength.

Control

As mere human beings, most of the things that happen to us are out of our control. But what happens within us, how we respond, is entirely under our command. A strong mind is more likely to generate sensible and mature reactions rather than an outburst of bottled up emotions.

Satisfaction

A well built mental strength significantly contributes to overall life satisfaction by fostering self-acceptance. With a strong mind, you will feel more confident and at peace with your decisions.

Confidence

Hand in hand with satisfaction, mentally strong people tend to be more confident in how they size up against other people. Similarly, this confidence will also push one to say yes to new experiences despite the presence of discomfort.

Ambition

Mentally strong individuals also aspire more in many domains of life, such as in career and health. Many people have found increased mental strength to be the key for them to perform at their best to reach their goals.

Affirmations for Mental Strength

We have listed down some affirmations that we know to be effective because we use them on a daily basis. Feel free to modify these as we all have unique circumstances. You can print these out, write them down, or memorize them. Make them part of your meditation or prayer time. Remind yourself every day that you are a great human being! We at Blissful Road believe that, too!

For Mental Strength:

I am focused

I can solve problems and think clearly

I can make good decisions

I can express my opinions with clarity and calmness

I can, and I will

For Emotional Strength:

I am calm and composed

I accept things as they are and do not take them personally

I am optimistic in all circumstances

Crying is completely okay

I am in control of my emotions

For Physical Strength:

I am fit and healthy

My body is capable of this

I am resilient

This will all pay off

For Overcoming Anxiety:

I overcome my fears

I am strong inside, out

I let go of my fears of discomfort

I welcome growth

For Inner Peace:

I am joyful

I am complete

I am present at the moment

I am blessed

My body is in harmony with the world

For Courage:

I take calculated risks

Either I win, or I learn

I will live my life on my terms

I face my fears head-on

I will pursue my purpose

No matter how mentally strong you are right now, the good news is you are in command of your future responses. Moreover, giving up unhealthy habits that take over your thought life may take time, but progress is still progress. Keep on trying even after you fail, and your mind will know that you are resilient and persistent. The use of positive affirmations can help improve your mental strength!

Our Response

I still drive my Toyota every single day. Despite being a reminder of my insecurities, I still value it. Instead of hosting a pity party for myself, I think: “This car is important, and with the help of it, I will reach my next milestones.” True enough, because of sterling punctuality and performance, I got a promotion at my job. This is proof that however we respond is up to us.

As a starting point, when you feel insecure about anything, it may be your body, your job, or your house. You can use my personal affirmation for mental strength. “This body is important, and with the help of it, I will reach my next milestones.”

Remember, your first accountability partner is yourself. But be there for other people, too! Do you think any of your friends need this message right now? Share this blog with them and let them know that you are with them!