5 Healing Affirmations by Louise Hay to Overcome Stress, Anxiety and Depression

On October 10, 2026October 10, 2026 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, relationships4 Comments

Sometimes, healing begins with a simple thought, a gentle reminder, or a few kind words we choose to say to ourselves.

There are moments in life when our minds refuse to slow down. We worry about the future, replay painful experiences from the past, and become so caught up in our thoughts that we forget to live in the present. Stress becomes a constant companion. Anxiety makes even the smallest things feel overwhelming. And on some days, sadness settles into our hearts so deeply that finding joy seems almost impossible.

I believe that one of the most important steps toward emotional healing is learning to change the way we speak to ourselves.

This is where the beautiful teachings of Louise Hay have so much to offer us.

Louise Hay, the author of You Can Heal Your Life, devoted much of her work to self-love, positive thinking, forgiveness, and the power of affirmations. She encouraged people to become more conscious of their thoughts and to replace habitual self-criticism with words that nurture hope and self-acceptance.

What I find especially meaningful about her philosophy is the reminder that we don’t have to wait until everything in our lives is perfect to begin treating ourselves with kindness.

We can start right here, right now.

Healing affirmations are not magic words that make our problems disappear overnight. Instead, they can help us question negative self-talk, cultivate a kinder inner voice, and create small moments of calm when life feels overwhelming.

Here are five healing affirmations inspired by Louise Hay’s teachings that I find particularly meaningful for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, depression, or emotional exhaustion.

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What If You Fly? Releasing the Fear Behind Life’s Big Decisions

On June 18, 2026June 18, 2026 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind, Heart& Soul-Motivation&Inspiration, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection3 Comments

“What if I fall?” Oh but my darling, What if you fly? ~ Eric Hanson

Do you have decision overload and end up doing nothing?

It’s easy to feel a bit lost when the next step in your life plan feels so overwhelming that you freeze up and procrastinate… Which is your brains reaction to a perceived threat.

I see this particularly in younger clients who feel there are certain hoops they need to jump through in order for the next chapter in their lives to begin.

They have to meet THE partner or establish the RIGHT career before STARTING a family or AFFORDING a house in the right area to be close to the RIGHT school… exhausting and also frightening as the constant backdrop is ‘what if I fail.’

It can create analysis paralysis meaning it is impossible to make any decisions as the fear of getting it wrong is so huge.

What if you could think of decisions differently, more positively?

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10 Gentle Signs That You Are Stressed(& that your soul is asking for care and renewal)

On November 5, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, spiritual healing5 Comments

“Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace.” ~ Joan Borysenko

I used to think I can take any amount of pressure in my 20″s. And I did excel under pressure at the time. I would study until late for exams and then go take them on 2 hours of sleep. I did and still do work well under stress. However, while I could achieve results under stress, I did not realize how I was harming my own body and mind in the process.

It was about a year after my daughter was born, when I started to see the full effect of the stress taking over my mind and body. It took the form of persistent migraines, lower back aches, dark circles under my eyes and forgetfulness. It was then that I realised something was seriously wrong. Physically, all my tests were normal, and that was a wake up call for me. I knew I had put so much pressure on myself, and needed to take back control of my life. For my sake and my baby’s.

Stress is the psyche’s way of signaling that something within or around you feels out of alignment. It arises when your inner sense of harmony is disrupted by a perceived challenge or demand that seems greater than your current capacity to meet it. In essence, stress is the body’s sacred messenger, alerting you to areas where balance, boundaries, or deeper presence are needed. When experienced in small doses, it can awaken growth, focus, and resilience. But when it lingers, when tension becomes your constant companion, it can fragment both body and spirit, calling for restoration, compassion, and mindful recalibration of your inner world.

Here are 10 gentle signs that your spirit may be stressed and is asking for care and renewal… along with reflections and healing practices for each.

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