Mantras
“Realize now the power that your words command if you simply choose them wisely.”
Only in recent years have I become familiar with mantras - what they are and the power they hold.
The word mantra comes from Sanskrit, meaning “sacred message.” It’s a short, positive statement or affirmation to say to yourself each day to remind yourself of your strength and resilience. Mantras are personal. Your mantra may not be meaningful to me, and my mantra may be useless to you, so finding a mantra or mantras that resonate with you is the key to their effectiveness and power. Plus, it’s important to have a variety of mantras for different situations, like coping with anxiety, depression, fear, or self-esteem issues.
We’re all aware of how another’s words can be hurtful or make us feel special. We can let their words ruin our day or make us feel like it’s the best day ever. We often place great significance on others’ opinions and comments. In some cases, we’re willing to let our mood and behavior be dictated by people we barely know. Yet, we’re painfully unaware of the power our own words carry in terms of what we say to ourselves – our self-talk. I suppose not everyone struggles with that, but many do, myself included.
Our self-talk determines our mood and behavior. This is especially important to understand when going through challenging times like an illness, medical tests, treatment, and lifestyle changes. We are often unaware of our self-talk. The thoughts often run in the background like a subliminal message, present but unacknowledged. We are aware, however, of what we’re feeling: happy, content, angry, depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or scared. Our thoughts and feelings are connected. And in many cases, changing the thought can change the emotion.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment based partly on unhelpful ways of thinking and learned patterns of unhelpful behavior. Unhelpful or distorted thought patterns affect our mood and, ultimately, our behavior. For example, when going through a difficult time, we might think, “I’m never going to be able to get through this.” That thought can result in feeling overwhelmed and defeated. But, when going through a difficult time, if the thought is, “This is really a hard spot to be in, but I’ve been through other tough times, and I’ll get through this, too.” That thought is likely to result in feelings of determination and perseverance.
Mantras are our self-talk. They are powerful and easy to implement. It’s simply a matter of being intentional and making a mantra part of your daily routine. Here are some that I use:
I’ll take things one step at a time.
I’m grateful for this day.
I am enough.
I am calm.
I can do this.
I can say “no.”
I’m not going to focus on what I can’t control.
I choose to see something good every day.
What’s your mantra?