If you’re not familiar with the practice of affirmations, they are a powerful tool to help with any area of your life. During recovery, your mental health is just as important as your physical health is. Affirmations go hand in hand with mindfulness. Practicing positive affirmations will improve your mental health, boost your daily mood, improve confidence, and calm your nerves. It’s a powerful practice that is often overlooked.

How to practice affirmations

The most effective way to implement affirmations into your daily life, is to pick a routine time and place to do them daily. Often, this best time is first thing in the morning, before you get ready for the day. Wake up, and sit up straight on your bed. Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing for a minute. This helps you feel centered with yourself. Then, start reciting your chosen affirmations. The reason this works is because your active thought is more powerful than actions. Your brain is so much more powerful than you think. Actively telling your brain to believe and be something, will help you manifest that in your daily life.

Daily affirmations to help with recovery

The affirmations that you choose to use are important. You don’t have to necessarily believe them in order to put them into action. If you believe in the power of affirmations, and have aspirations to become better, then they will work. Here are a few for you to start with, but you can use absolutely anything that feels right to you.

• I am in charge of my life story
• I am the only thing in charge of my life
• I am in control
• I am proud of myself
• All of my problems have a solution
• I have many strengths
• I am stronger than temptation
• I like the person I’m becoming
• I deserve to be sober
• The past has no power over me
• I can look inside myself as a source of joy
• I will be a better me
• I respect my body
• I am worthy of great things
• I am loved

Customize them to work for you

The beautiful thing about positive affirmations is that there is no template for success. By that, we mean that they are perfectly customized to you. Use verbs and phrases that empower you and aid your recovery. As long as your tone and meaning stays positive, these affirmations will have positive effects on your daily life.