Hiya Gorgeous!
Self-care is such a sweet concept. But it can be so difficult to practice consistently, can’t it?
Life is busy and there are a lot of demands on your time. But what about those rare days when you have nothing on your schedule—but also no drive to take care of yourself and your mental health?
Tell me I’m not alone in this, tootsie!
Physical Health, Spiritual Health, and Mental Health Hinge on Self-Care
I can’t be the only one who’s finally had a free Saturday, only to hunker down on the couch and hide from the world, forgetting that a self-care routine can exist. Whether your distraction of choice is a Netflix binge or a Facebook scroll, the core challenge is the same. Plenty of time to focus on taking care of yourself. Zero motivation to act.
Ever been there?
My guess is that you may be finding yourself in this place a lot lately. For most of us, all of our weekend social commitments disappeared overnight. But we also have a lot of unexpected stress that leaves us feeling overwhelmed. You just can’t seem to make your actions align with your intentions. You’re not alone in that, dear ones.
It’s Time To Make Your Self-Care a Top Priority
Anytime I’ve noticed that happening, I treat it as a prompt to check in with myself. (Cue the sirens!) I look under the hood to try to find the “Why” hiding behind the “What.”
So why the motivation drain? What is keeping you from getting enough exercise, eating good things, and reducing stress? What is the cause that trips you up from spending time practicing consistent self-care and living the healthy, beautiful life you desire?
There can be a lot of contributing factors: Lack of time, lack of energy, anxiety and depression, and plain ol’ procrastination.
But the underlying cause of them all is often a mental barrier. Somewhere deep down is a broken belief. You’re overwhelmed with feelings of negative thoughts. You believe self-care has to be all-or-nothing. You don’t believe in your own ability to be consistent. Or you feel like it’s self-indulgent to hold space for self-care.
But you matter, beautiful. You deserve love. Don’t let the wrong mindset hold you back. So let’s examine the underlying beliefs that may be draining your confidence today. Let’s replace those negative feelings with positive affirmations.
Use Self-Care Affirmations to Banish Self Doubt and Boost Your Self-Esteem
If you were to get really honest about the soundtrack of self-doubt that sometimes crosses your mind, what would they sound like?
- I’m too busy, too old, too fat, too weak, too tired
- I’m not disciplined enough, smart enough, healthy enough, pretty enough, or strong enough
- My happiness isn’t important enough
- I tried before and it didn’t work
- I just don’t have what it takes to succeed with self-care
Yuck. Just writing this list gives me anxiety and makes me want gin. If you’re struggling with any of these negative thoughts, I’m here to remind you of your greatness.
Here’s the deal: Whatever your life looks like today (and it looks imperfect for us all right now!) you’ve still got what it takes to thrive.
Real self-care isn’t about striving, pushing, or fixing yourself. It’s not about having perfect health, a perfect body, or a perfect daily routine. In fact, it’s less about self-improvement (I’m not enough) and more about self-love (I’m worthy and phenomenal, just as I am).
Be confident in the fact that you’re truly a gift to the world.
Sounds delicious, right? So how do you embrace a positive mindset? How do you make your mental health a priority?
The key is to consistently cultivate positive self-talk, positively impacting your body and spirit. In short, it’s about shifting your thinking to boost your self-worth.
The Thriver’s Manifesto: 15 Positive Affirmations for Self-Care
I whipped up what I call The Thriver’s Manifesto filled with 15 self-care affirmations.
Think of these self-love affirmations as a declaration of intentions for how you will embrace self-care and cherish yourself moving forward.
Use these affirmations for self-care to replace all those negative thoughts with positive ones. It’s time to rewire your brain for positive thinking. It’s time to thrive in your own way. Enjoy these daily affirmations, sweetheart!
- Regardless of my circumstances, I have the power to thrive—at any time on my journey!
- When I’m thriving my energy is flowing—body, mind, and spirit. I’ve got a pep in my step, peace in my mind, and joy in my heart. If I’m not thriving, it’s a sign to redirect my time.
- There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to taking care of yourself. My version is right for me and it changes as my life changes, therefore I refrain from comparing myself to others. I accept myself as I am.
- I choose words, thoughts, and beliefs that support my physical and mental health, personal goals, and highest good.
- I listen to my body and trust my intuition because I know what’s best for me and my life.
- I feed my body clean, healthy food because I’m worth it. Taking care of myself by improving my diet improves my life.
- I understand that self-care is health care and I practice it daily.
- I support my immune system by lessening my exposure to a toxic environment.
- I practice progress—not perfection—in my pursuit of vibrant health and happiness.
- I ask for support when I need it and I make time for my friends. Community = longevity.
- I love and accept myself just as I am today—not down the line when I create some mythical better version of myself. Self-love has no prerequisites.
- I can’t please everyone, and that’s OK. Being a people pleaser drains my energy. And when I’m too focused on living up to other people’s standards, I forget to raise and honor my own.
- I am grateful and thankful on a regular basis because it puts me in a positive state, boosts my confidence level, and reminds me of what’s already great in my life.
- I understand that physical and emotional healing isn’t linear. It happens in seasons, zigs and zags, and you’ll take steps forward and backward. Therefore, I am patient, loving, and supportive of my body and life.
- I say yes to my life and make time for me and for the people, animals, experiences, and all the things that matter most. I give myself permission to live like I really mean it, starting today!
Embrace these self-care affirmations and play them on repeat whenever you need a boost of positive feelings in your daily life.
Remember, you have the power to take a moment to beat negativity. You have the power to focus on your mental health. You hold the power to create space to focus on you.
You Deserve Some Simple Self-Love
You matter, sweetheart. I know you’re busy taking care of everyone and everything else. But self-love should never look like self-neglect. Give yourself a moment to rest and focus on these self-care affirmations. Be patient with yourself.
My final thoughts: You deserve to take a few minutes today to love yourself.
I hope this collection of self-care affirmations has helped you believe that you really can implement consistent self-care. And if you ever find yourself in need of inspiration, just pull out this list and remember what you’re aiming for—and how much strength you already have to make it happen.
I believe in you, sweetheart!
And I want to remind you of the special resource I have to help you skyrocket your self-care.
Self-care doesn’t have to be hard.
It doesn’t have to be a demanding list of self-improvements that make you feel like you’re falling short. It doesn’t have to be an expensive collection of products that are more about beauty than real well-being
Instead, it can be a few simple, steadying minutes a day where you come home to yourself. Where you nurture your body, mind and spirit with just a little of the love you share so generously with others.
When it comes to practicing that simple self-love, here’s what I wish for you.
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you cherish yourself. May you know how deeply loved you are—today and always. And may you pay that love forward everywhere you can.
May your everyday self-love help you step into the fullest expression of who you are—a joyous, loving, thriving, force for good—even (and maybe especially) in tough seasons like these.
Your turn: Which positive affirmation from the Thriver’s Manifesto resonates with you most? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Sweet simplicity,
I needed to read this. Thank you for lifting our hearts and spirits.
It is always great to be reminded that we have all that it takes to thrive wherever we are on our journey. It also feels wonderful to be reminded that we are worth it!
Thanks for the light you are spreading
number 13 is my go to affirmation, Gratitude is so important to me. Lately I have not been listing all I am grateful for I have been preoccupied with so much else. Starting today I will get back into the swing of being grateful for all I have. Starting with being grateful for this self-care challenge.
Thank you so much for more beautiful content, you beautiful soul.
I particularly love: 14. “I understand that healing isn’t linear. It happens in seasons, zig and zags, steps forward and backwards. Therefore, I am patient, loving and supportive of my body and life.” I realised that somewhere along the way I adopted a limiting belief that healing is about constantly overcoming health challenges until there are no more. But this is quite unrealistic since we are always changing and our environment is constantly changing etc. I like the concept of health zig-zagging up and down as this makes me feel more comfortable about little health setbacks and scares.
Thanks a bunch.
Bianca x
I practice progress, not perfection in my pursuit of vibrant health and happiness.
This resonates with me most ..
So here is the Manifesto challenge for an E. . . . . I am blessed with dominant air energy, with secondary earth. That means my energy fizzes outwards in a great rainbow of sparkles and glee and I shrivel up dully when being contained with schedules and job lists (I call it them Nazi Job Lists). And yet my secondary energy (bless her) diagnoses the self care problems, designs multiple strategies to alleviate that (it usually has schedules, endless lists to tick off, and constant checking in on progress) and FLOGS me mercilessly when I flip off to do what I actually feel moved to do at that moment, like read a book, play the ukulele, grab a bite to eat on the fly (usually not on the menu), whizz out for a coffee when I haven’t drunk enough water yet. And so we fight, air and earth, we dig our heels in and glare at each other. We have huge love for each other and at the same time pfffffft disrespect for each other. This is the ongoing challenge to self care in the E-World!
This is the one I need to say daily and believe: 13. I practice gratitude on a regular basis because it puts me in a positive state, boosts my confidence level and reminds me of what’s already great in my life.
Thank you for the reminder!! On point and working on that now!! You are the best!! 🙂
11, 12, and 15 resonate with me. “When I’m too focused on living up to other people’s standards, I forget to raise and honor my own.” I feel like this has been a major block recently. In the grad program I was in it was kind of inevitable, but I was definitely not thriving trying to live up to everyone else’s standards.
Numbers 11 and 14 resonate with me. I’ve been off track for a long time. I always tell myself I’ll start again when I finally get some alone time or when some big project is over or when vacation is over or when . . . Then I look back and a couple of years have gone by. It’s always on my mind. I always have hope to restart and reboot and stay that way. I get off track so easily though. I hope this 7 day challenge will respark my desire to take better care of myself.
My favourite self care affirmations are #2- refocus and #13 – gratitude!
My favourite affirmation is the last one- Choose happiness!
Thank you Kris! ???? Remember Leo Buscaglia!
Self care is health care really struck a chord for me. I’m experiencing a lot of stress related health issues because of work and our world right now. Looking at self care as part of my bigger overall health plan is really helpful. Thank you so much for all you do.
Number 12 resonates with me because I genuinely love to help people but somewhere along the line, I felt like I lost myself in everyone else’s stuff except my own and I didn’t honor myself or my life. It was draining and when I finally realized what I was doing, I decided to little by little take my life back and it felt good. I still help people but I don’t drop my life anymore and of course, it still takes practice and constant reminding in my head. I can’t ignore number 13 though because I am grateful and live in a positive state overall but there are moments when I fall off the track and it takes work to get back on and I tell myself the only way to get back on is to start listing in my head everything that is good and it does usually do the trick.
Hi Kris,
Thank you so much for your wisdom. For me, belief #14 resonates the most.
My healing has never been linear. Sometimes on my healing journey, I feel like I have taken one step forward then I get knocked back three or four steps and have to make that slow climb back up, praying for the lessons to be revealed along the way. Thank you for the reminder to be patient, loving and supportive of myself and my path. It’s much healthier than the alternative of being judgmental.
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Hi Sally, Sorry you were having difficulties with the download. Please check your inbox as we’ve sent you the Thriver’s Manifesto. If you have any other issues, please email us at info@kriscarr.com. Thanks! ~ Janine, Team Crazy Sexy
#11!!
This was exactly what I needed to see today. As the positive vibes of the new year start to lose some of their sparkle in the gray winter days, this is a great reminder to stay the course. Number 14 resonates most with me – patience, patience, patience. The path is never as linear as we would like it to be but it does manage to get us exactly where we need to be at the right time. Thank you Kris for the reminder!
Thank you Kriss! Belief #11 is the one that resonated most with me.
Xoxo
I LOVE this manifesto Kris. Thank you so much for gifting this to us, along with all the other goodies you share. I love your vibe and energy; really resonates with my own. Your comment about your shows and the spreadsheet you created caused me to burst into laughter because I do exactly the same thing. So good to know I’m in such good company with my habits. I would love to share this manifesto with my Arthritis support group, if you’ll allow me. We just started and the work focused is on self-care, not just health care. So I feel this would fit perfectly, and I want to drive everyone in the group over to your website. Thanks so much for all you do. xo
Thank you so much for this Kris! I haven’t received it yet, but when I do I’ll post it where I can see it every day! I love them all, but if I had to choose the one that spoke the loudest, it would be #4 “I choose thoughts and beliefs that support my health, personal goals and highest good.”
#2 and #9 got the most to me. I tend to have negative thoughts and it is good to remind myself to refocus! and the notion of making progress instead of wanting to be perfect sounds super to me.
Thank you, Kris!
Affirmation eleven resonates most with me:
11. I love and accept myself just as I am today—not down the line when I create some mythical better version of myself.
Although I love myths, it is important to me to live with what I have. Once I heard of being ‘improved to death’ and I don’t think it’s a joke. Normality is defined by too many standards and it is often people’s idiosyncrasies that make them sparkle.
I have a Facebook friend, Jacob Nordby, who writes: ‘Blessed are the weird people: poets, misfits, writers, mystics, painters & troubadours, for they teach us to see the world through different eyes.’
Oooo. This is good. #7 for me and I mostly have the food down. It’s the exercise I need to master. Getting there! I would add one thing to the manifesto and that is to get outside every day, drink in the fresh air, envelop myself in the sun’s warm hug, feel the wake up call of a brisk wind or the caress of a gentle breeze, get my hands in the dirt, walk barefoot in the grass, hug a tree, and drink in the natural world around me – my home, my happy place. Luckily I have poultry to care for year round so this happens on the less-than-lovely weather days, too. But it sure is hard to pull myself away from a warm home and cozy fire on those cold winter days!
I’m with you on that one. We humans have a natural affinity with our physical world of Creation. There’s even a name for it:Biophilia! I left the art room after 37 years of teaching and now work with a therapeutic horseback riding program. Just turning onto the gravel road makes my heart smile. After recovering from ovarian cancer I knew being with the equine herd and getting back to my childhood love of riding was going to be MY therapy as well. Thank you Kris for your encouragement. And good luck with your poultry, Chris.
Thank you Kris for all the love you send to me. I feel so lifted when I see you in my in box and consider you a real friend.
Love and big hugs xx ?
My dearest Chris. I need all of them so much at the moment. I’m a stage 4 thrive since 2015 and at the moment the therapy is unclear and due to pleura infusion I am loosing so much protein, that I needed to switch back to some animal protein in addition to my regular vegan diet that I followed since 2016. All of this makes me waek an anxious and I’m so thankful for your support. Needed it so much right now!
Kris, Kris, Kris… of course! So sorry for that!
Love you Sophie! I’m so glad that this is helping support you! Feel free to email us at info@kriscarr.com for more resources! xo
Thank you very much for your supporting post, which I am always looking forward to.
To me it is Number 5 and 14. I have to step out of a very hurtful marriage and I don t know how, but it comes clear the last time, my body, my intuition will guide me.
Thank you and many blessings to you.
Eli
That was perfect… Exactly what I needed today! Thank you, Kris!
Wonderful! ThankYou for sharing!
Thank you so much Kris. This is a beautiful idea and I felt compelled to write it into my journal. The one that resonated with me the most is #7 – I understand that self-care is health care and I practice it daily. So very true! Wishing you a wonderful day.
Hello Darlin, I have enjoyed you and your spirit since you were on Oprah ages ago. I am delighted and encouraged that you are doing well. I have a grown daughter who has a kidney transplant and a grown son who gave her one of his kidneys. I try not to worry about them, but thank God every day that they are doing well. Thank you for being who you are and sharing your love and knowledge with the world. I send you love and blessings.
All of this. This is exactly what I needed today. I am going to print out this list and hang it somewhere I can see every day. Thank you for your inspiration.
#12 for me. I used to actually be proud to be a people pleaser and recently I realized that I was getting lost in everyone else’s needs. It feels good to do what I want. Thank you.
Thank you for these. I have put them on my mirror so as I get ready in the mornings I can see them as I get ready.
That’s the perfect place for these! You are going to love your mornings reading these beauties! xo
Thank You so much!!! I needed this today so badly! A bit depression, a pinch of sadness, doubt, anxiety… It touched the tears deep in me reading Your words. I will go for a longer walk now (It’s raining, but I loved rain since I was a little child! So: rain = 🙂 !!!). God bless You, Kris!
Love you Christina! I’m so glad that my words inspired you to go outside and enjoy the beautiful rain! You are worth it dear! xo!
This was just what I needed today as I am feeling lethargic for some reason. Kept me from doing yoga the last two days and that was part of my written intentions. I was honoring my intuition by staying in bed an extra hour.
It’s always beautiful to honor your intuition Jonathan! Hope you start feeling more energetic soon! xo!
I love #5: I listen to my body and trust my intuition, because I know what’s best for me.
This particularly resonates with me right now because I’ve recently escaped an abusive situation where I was continuously shamed into doubting my own perception of reality… being gaslighted in an effort to convince me that the abuse was all in my imagination. From now on, I will never, EVER ignore my body when it tells me something is off… no matter how much someone tries to convince me otherwise.
#12 resonates with me. I am naturally a people pleaser and I remind myself everyday that if I focus on what I need to thrive then I will have more to share with others. Also, listening to my intuition, actually “listening” and trusting yourself! There are others, some in your own household, that try to sabotage your efforts for self improvement because it makes them uncomfortable. But that’s their story, not mine.
You are so right Colleen! You need to fill up your cup first! You deserve it!
Holly, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot and are truly listening to your intuition now! You are worth all the happiness in the world!
I like #14, that healing isn’t linear. That the best today may be better tomorrow, it may be the same or it might get derailed for some reason. If I crash, I pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. I think there are some hokey old song lyrics in that thought somehow. Nevertheless, fall 10 times, rise 11.
Thanks for sharing, Stephen. Your resilience inspires me. xo!
Thanks for this, Kris! Here’s my fave: I understand that healing isn’t linear. It happens in seasons, zig and zags, steps forward and backwards. Therefore, I am patient, loving and supportive of my body and life. I’m 6 months in to major emotional healing after the loss of my mom (and more recently stepdad). Some days are up and some days/weeks are down and so overwhelmingly hard for me to ‘get on with’ things. Good reminder that I need to accept wherever I am in this process and honor it without judgement.
I’m sorry to hear about your mom and stepdad, Kate. Glad you’re taking this opportunity to be kind to your wonderful self. Sending you big hugs and healing energy!
This helped me so much… I’ve been waking up feeling overwhelmed with the new year and all the things I MUST improve on and focus on (improve health, find new career path etc) which is more about striving and pushing myself (sometimes to exhaustion)… you have reminded me to do this growing in a more nurturing way and to embrace the level of health I do have and all the parts of my life that are pretty good already!
So glad that this was a reminder to be gentle and patient with yourself, Sue. And recognizing all you have to be grateful for today is a good way to put yourself in the mindset for growth. Love you!
I like #3. I agree that one size does not fit all. I have MBC and currently am in remission. My journey is mine alone. I may try things that others don’t with. I can’t follow anyone’s advise 100% because I have to find my own way. I will get where I’m going in my own timing and it will be my story. Only I can tell my story.
Sending you lots of love and light, Cathy!
“I understand that healing isn’t linear…”
I can be so impatient with myself. Thank you for reminding me that there is no perfect way to heal. 🙂
I’m so glad you found it helpful. Lots of love and healing light coming your way!
You literally just saved my spirit. Dealing with ongoing major depression and mornings suck and my brain goes to all the ugly places you mentioned. I read this. Thank you for being generous with your gifts.
So important to keep ourselves thriving daily. I am so onboard with these statements. I even get more specific by saying the ‘ thriving statement ‘exact to the situation ; ie swimming makes me feel alive and whole or
My body sings when I fill it with a green smoothie!
Adding those feeling words helps me.
Love the blog!
Big hugs to you, Kim. Sending you so much love!
I love all of them!!
Thank you!
xo!
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to thriving. My version is right for me and it changes as my needs change, therefore I refrain from comparing myself to others.”
I love being reminded that how I do whatever I do is just fine for me. I really resonate with several of the manifesto beliefs. “regardless of circumstances, I have the power to thrive. . .” I have the power in every moment.
Mainly I appreciate your gift of support and encouragement. You are love embodied. Many blessings and light! Kathryn
Thank you, Kathryn. And right back atcha!
Thank you for this Manifesto Kris! Number 10 resonates with me the most. I live abroad and it’s hard to catch up with friends on the phone. Life gets in… But when I manage to Skype with my girls then I feel a ton better and a lot of energy!
That’s wonderful, Giulia. Thank goodness for Skype!
What a beautiful way to start the day. Thank you from the heart Kris!
You’re very welcome!
Hi Kriss.
Most grateful for your presence, your guidance and your generosity. Sending Infinite love and gratitude.
xo!
Thank you I needed this today. I am feeling quite poorly due to chemo but it was good to read your message to look for and find the positive which I feel will be there. I’ve been for a walk and it does lift the spirit even while the body struggles a bit.
I’m so glad it helped. Sending you tons of love and healing light, Alex.