20 affirmations to keep Sunday anxiety at bay

Don’t let anxiety cloud your week – when the Sunday night scaries commence, try these 20 affirmations.

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Happiful

It’s that sinking feeling in your stomach, a drop in your mood, a tightness in your chest, and a looming sense of dread. Sunday night anxiety can really throw off a week, and it’s something that a lot of us experience.

According to a study by Channel 4 and the University of Exeter, more than two-thirds of Brits experience Sunday night anxiety, including those who love their job. The survey results from 650 participants showed that many people saw dips in their energy on Sunday evenings, which then increased again on Monday morning.

It also found that certain triggers, such as receiving emails over the weekend and unfinished work from the week before, could make things worse. But what researchers saw in interviews was that these feelings weren’t exclusive to those who did not enjoy their work, and even those who loved their career were susceptible to Sunday night anxiety.

In response to these findings, the University of Exeter is creating a toolkit to help employers better support their employees, set to be released later in 2023. But for now, what can you do to try to cope with these feelings?

Affirmations are short phrases that we can repeat to ourselves, either out loud or in our heads, to help break up thought-spirals, build our confidence, and soothe anxiety.

Here are 20 affirmations designed specifically to help you soothe Sunday night anxiety:

• I can handle the challenges that come my way.
• I am more than my job.
• When I need peace, I return to my breath.
• I am capable.
• I can ask for help if I need it.
• I don’t have to be perfect.
• I breathe in calm and breathe out stress.
• A new week is a fresh start.
• I have done this before, and I can do it again.
• I am in control.
• I don’t need to prove my worth to others.
• I am doing my best.
• I can say no if I need to.
• I take things one step at a time.
• I am calm.
• I believe in myself.
• I stay in the present.
• I let go of things I can’t control.
• I am deserving of calm.
• I exceed my own expectations.

These affirmations are a great addition to any mental health toolkit, and once you land on one that really resonates with you, they can make a world of difference to your wellbeing.