 What are positive affirmations and how can you use them to help you manage your anxiety? So today's anxiety hack is about understanding what positive affirmations are, thinking about how you can create your own, and then I'm gonna share some that might work to help you with your anxiety, so you can nick mine if you want to basically. Okay, so basically the idea is that if we've got difficult kind of anxious thoughts and feelings going around and around and around in our head, we can use positive affirmations which are kind of phrases that we can repeat to ourselves to try and replace those negative thoughts. So when, you know, what's going around in your head is just stupid and everyone hates you, saying aloud instead, I'm strong and I'm in control or something like that. And yeah, it can feel a little bit weird and kooky at first but you get the hang of it and it can be incredibly powerful. Now, how does it work? So first of all, you find a phrase that works for you and we'll have a look at the end of the video at a few phrases that you might be able to use but you wanna find words that work for you, words that feel good when you say them words that you want to believe essentially. So you're finding phrases that you might not believe but you want to believe them. So, you know, I love and I am loved or I'm calm and in control. Something you wish was true, you want to be able to believe. And then when you begin to feel anxious, essentially you say this phrase over and over again. You just repeat it like a mantra. And as you say the phrase, you really think about it, you really engage with the words in that phrase. Now, also think about how it would feel if that phrase was true. So, if for example, I'm saying, you know, I'm calm and in control and I'm saying that because I'm feeling really anxious. If I'm saying I'm calm and I'm in control, I'm imagining what would it feel like if I was calm and I was in control? And then try acting as if it were true. So try acting as if you're calm and in control, for example. So act as if that affirmation was true. And then any time through the day that you begin to feel those like anxious and negative thoughts coming back into your mind, you just take a step back and you repeat your affirmation again. Now, there are different takes on this. You can do it in front of the mirror. You can say it out loud or in your head. Find what works for you but the key thing is basically finding a few key phrases that you can repeat to yourself that basically feel right for you. They feel like what you wish were true and you say them as if you believe them and you try and act that way too and you just keep returning to these phrases. I mean, give it a go, give it a go. So the thing I'd say is that it can feel strange. It can feel weird, but maybe it'll work. So try it and don't give up on it right away. So maybe try it two or three times a day for a week and if you don't see that it has any impact, fine, bin it. That's cool, you've tried. But you might find it begins to have an impact. So thinking further. So we're gonna have some suggestions now of affirmations that might work for you. And again, it's about finding what works. So don't feel like you have to use mine. You can make your own up or you can adapt mine or whatever or Google it, there's loads out there. So here are my 10 suggestions. Number one, I am not my anxiety. Number two, I've done this before, I can do it again. I've done this before, I can do it again. Number three, I'm in charge of my breaths. I can slow them down. I'm in charge of my breaths. I can slow them down. Number four, I'm in control. I'm in control. Number five, this is a favorite of mine. This is a favorite of mine. I am safe. Simple, but it works. I am safe. Number six, I can manage the next minute. I can manage the next minute. Number seven, I am loved and I love. I am loved and I love. Number eight, I am a kind and caring person. I am a kind and caring person. Number nine, this feeling will pass. This feeling will pass. And number 10, I am courageous and I can do this. I am courageous and I can do this. You don't have to do the actions, but you know, I just like them. Okay, so there's some ideas. What would be your one? Which one do you like? Which one do you hate? Or maybe you have some of your own. Leave them in a comment below. Let me know how you find this. Let me know if you have any other kind of routine around using affirmations that they work for you. Would love to hear more. Drop your thoughts, experience, ideas in a comment below and don't forget to subscribe so you can be kept up to date with my new videos every Tuesday and Friday. Thanks for watching. See you next time. Bye.