What’s a Mantra?
“A mantra is a word, sound, or phrase repeated to aid in your concentration while meditating.”
-Ashley Wray
Mantras are powerful. It can inspire or motivate you to work harder towards the goals you want. Everyone needs mantras in their life to provide meaning and significance.
There are many mantras out there, and it can be hard to look for the ones that resonate with you. Some mantras are chosen for specific activities while other mantras encompass a person’s whole life. Here are my steps towards creating the perfect mantra for work
Step 1 – Come Up with an Idea
The initial step towards making a mantra is to identify the main problem that you want to address. You might already have a sense of what you are trying to tackle. If you are not quite sure, no worries!
There are factors you can do to assist you in getting the ideas flowing. First, sit down and close your eyes. Think about some of the challenges you had over the past couple of weeks. Call them out and write them down so you can remember them for later on.
Another choice is to journal and notice some of the themes or topics you’ve written about. Take time to reflect on how or what you are feeling. A common prompt that’s helpful for others is “What’s something that’s been bothering you?“
Step 2 – Identify Your Core Values
Since a mantra is sweet and short, the best ones revolve around your core values. Examples include determination, motivation, happiness, inspiration, or any other value. These words are part of who you are as a person and even part of your identity.
However, if you are uncertain, take a look back at what you have made and circle or highlight any phrases which pop out at you. These may offer insights into what sort of phrases you may be interested in using.
Step 3 – Put It Together
After coming up with the best values, you can now start making your phrase. Make sure your mantra is actionable and positive. Instead of saying “I will stop ignoring negative feedbacks,” you would say, “I will do my best to thrive and excel.” The first phrase sounds negative while the second one includes positive action language which is encouraging you to take the right steps towards a successful future.
Here is another example: I cannot let my negativity get in my way anymore. Instead, I will let go of the negativity that hinders me to the right thing.
Play around with different combinations until you settle on a few that you like and test them out to see how you like it. Some will work while others may not. It’s all about finding the ones that fit your everyday routine.
Step 4 – Display Your Mantra
Now that you have your mantra, place it as mantras around your house, workplace, or on your phone. Many people have mantras but easily forget them when they’re still new.
Placing them as reminders can serve as reminders until they’re part of your life. Keep practicing and saying these words to yourself every day. One way people practice it is through meditation.
Comment below what mantra you came up with! Looking forward to seeing what you came up with.
Wen is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach who helped people change their behaviors. He brings experience from educating people about their physical health, nutrition, sexual health, and substance use. As a coach, he has worked with over one hundred clients in changing their tobacco use and had over five hundred conversations as a crisis counselor.
