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When you hear the word “mantra,” you might envision yogis in a heated studio chanting “om.” While that’s certainly an example, it’s only one version — creating a mantra unique to you has more benefits.
Why? Having a saying to repeat can help you quell anxiety and set the tone for your day. It provides a sense of comfort and a source of motivation. Here are five tips for creating a meaningful mantra that’s personalized to you.
What do you hope to achieve? The right mantra can help propel you toward your goal by giving you an instant way to reframe those negative thoughts that can derail your progress. Every time you catch yourself thinking, “I can’t do it,” your brain responds, “oh, yes, I can.”
Your mantra can become a source of strength. Did you have one of those days, and the thought of cooking dinner seems like too much? If you have spent hours reminding yourself, “I deserve to feed my body healthy food,” you’ll think twice before hitting the fast-food drive-thru. It may not work all the time — everyone’s human — but it saves you calories and fat when it does.
Even general mantras can prove sources of encouragement on dark days. Perhaps you spent time practicing mindfulness and noticed that you tend toward black-and-white thinking, frequently using terms like “always” and “never.” If you catch yourself thinking, “I’ll never reach my goal,” why not adopt a replacement like, “I’ll never reach my goal if I don’t put forth some effort each day.”
Sometimes, mindfulness reveals repeated unhealthy thought patterns that you want to address. For example, you might frequently find yourself turning down opportunities because you feel like you are inadequate, then growing depressed over regret later. A bit more reflection could reveal that the underlying problem is a lack of confidence.
Why not turn that word — or a phrase containing it — into your mantra? Start each morning with a 5-minute meditation on building your self-esteem and select a phrase like “I am confident and powerful” or “I am confident and in control.”
Doing so sets an uplifting tone for the rest of your day. Perhaps you decide you want to treat others with more kindness. Your morning mantra might be, “I try to bring a smile to everyone I meet.” When you repeat these phrases to yourself often enough throughout the day, your subconscious starts to believe them.
Another way to personalize a daily mantra is to choose a single word to focus your intention. You might select one like “peace” or “harmony.” Repeating the same word to yourself creates a theme for your day that helps you color it the way you like. What does a joy-filled day look like?
When choosing your one-word mantra, select something uplifting and positive. Here are some you can consider:
Professional athletes swear by techniques like meditation for adjusting their mindsets before the big game. You can harness this power by setting an intention as your mantra each day.
This type of mantra can help keep you on track to achieving long-term goals that sometimes get lost in the craziness of daily life. For example, perhaps you always wanted to write a novel. You start strong, but a series of intervening events throw you off your carefully plotted schedule.
Many people get frustrated and give up when things like family illnesses delay their endeavors. However, a mantra of “delays are only temporary roadblocks” encourages you to pick up your pen once more.
Do you struggle with an anxiety disorder? If so, you aren’t alone. Nearly 20% of American adults battle one each year.
While a mantra is no substitute for professional care, it can help reinforce what you learn in therapy or provide some relief if you can’t access treatment. For example, repeating a phrase like “it’s not about you” while engaging in deep breathing can help calm your panic if you have social anxiety and encounter someone rude.
Sometimes, you might get a bit philosophical. When you experience a series of negative events, it’s natural to slip into depression. At such times, it helps to remember that life can be beautiful, too.
Phrases like “this, too, shall pass” can ring hollow if you merely repeat the cliché. However, if you pair it with a short meditation where you recollect a time when you were happy, generating that feeling of joy in your body, it becomes comforting.
If you want to create a meaningful mantra for yourself, please use these five tips. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you reprogram your subconscious mind with patience and repetition.
