It doesn’t matter what you said or believed yesterday. Life is about evolution.

The environment makes the man and the man makes the environment.

The inner man or woman — who we are independent of circumstance—gets exposed in times of crisis and deprivation.

Never depend on the admiration of others. There is no strength in it. Personal merit cannot be derived from an external source.

It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will avoid 100 days of sorrow.

Never explain your philosophy, simply embody it.

When I was in grade school, my teachers had inspirational quotes and affirmations spread all over the wall. For example: Watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Watch your words, for they become your actions. Watch your actions, for they become your habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. To me they were just bland decoration that I read over and over again to pass time and because they were right there in my face. Now I’m a little older and wiser, and can appreciate the power of words. Words (and thoughts) shape beliefs, emotions, health, character, and destiny. The most important conversation is the one we have with ourselves.

Today I am intentional about the words I let into my life. I filter my music and media and don’t tolerate bad company. I am also intentional about rehearsing positive affirmations that I believe are both fact-based and life-giving. In this article, I share 15 of my all-time favorites. These are the gems I have gleaned from a lifetime replete with many challenges and setbacks. Not coincidentally, I have published several articles in the last year expanding on their importance.

Which of the following most resonate with you? Let us know your own personal favorites down below!

15 Powerful Affirmations To Live By

1. I Create as I Speak

2. Words Make Worlds

3. Forgiveness is Strength

4. Every Day is a New Life

5. The Past Is My Creation

6. My Biology is My Belief

7. Courage is the Key to Life

8. Discipline Equals Freedom

9. On the Other Side of Fear is Freedom

10. It’s Never to Late to Have a Happy Childhood

11. All I Need Is a Word to Change Everything

12. Love is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe

13. The Immaterial World is King of the Material World

14. The Mind is the Most Powerful Tool I Have to Change My Life

15. Whatever I Hold in My Mind Consistently is Exactly What I Will Experience in Life

I admit, it has taken a lot of life experience (and failure) to connect the dots on this one. It goes something like this: The extent to which we live up to our values has a tremendous impact on how much self-respect, and ultimately self-confidence, we possess. To be sure, it’s our values that matter here, not our friends,’ parents’, society’s or any wise sage that ever lived. Let me give some concrete examples.

If we believe overeating, smoking, and spending 7 hours a day on our phones is bad for us, every time we do them we lose respect for ourselves (regardless of the negative effect they may have independent of what we think). If we believe watching pornography has a toxic effect on our persons and fuels an exploitative industry, then every time we do it we lose respect for ourselves (regardless of the negative effect it may have independent of what we think). If we believe stealing is wrong, every time we cheat on our taxes because “nobody will find out,” we lose respect for ourselves. The same is true of lying, gossip, oversleeping, and a host of behaviors hat may conflict with an individual’s values.

In the same way, whenever we perform an activity that is consistent with our values — like working out, meditating, fasting, reading, being present with our loved ones, showing kindness to others, and exercising courage — we gain respect for ourselves.

If we want to improve our self-confidence, we may not have to look very far. How about doing the things we already know we should be doing and abstaining from those we should not? There’s a word for all of this: it’s called integrity. We often think of integrity as something that benefits those around us — and it does. But the truth is that our welfare is at stake before anyone else’s.

The brain is always taking notes, and it’s on us to communicate with our actions the message we want it to hear.

If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit; if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.

Proverbs 9:12

The Fire Must Never Go Out