There are tons of mantras (phrases that help inspire us) out there and it can be tough to find one that resonates with you. Whether you’re using a mantra to help you be more mindful, or inspire you while you work towards big goals, mantras are a powerful tool, so long as the one you’re using has meaning to you. Mantras are something you may want to switch out every month, week, day or even activity to activity–there’s no requirement to stick to one, two or a whole handful. So to honour our deepest needs, and in the tradition of being authentic, this post is all about how to create your own mantra.
You don’t have to be a wordsmith or super spiritual to create a mantra. You just have to be willing.
Step 1:
What is your mantra about?
The first step of creating a mantra is to figure out what it’s going to be about. You may already have a sense, in which case you can write down some of your ideas. If you’re not sure yet, no worries! There are a few things you can do to help get the inspiration flowing. One is to come into a meditation and see what emotions and thoughts arise from the stillness. Another option is to journal and see what topics or themes you write about. You can also simply take a moment to reflect on what, or how you’re feeling; is there anything going on in your life lately that you want to tap into and use in your mantra?
Step 2:
Find your keywords.
Since mantras are often short and sweet, they revolve around keywords, such asinspiration,happiness,determination, and the like. Your keyword(s) may have come up during your brainstorming, but if you’re not sure, take a look back at what you wrote down and highlight or circle any words that pop out at you. These will likely be your keywords, or at least be clues to what kind of keywords you should be using.
Remember this is a creative process and a mantra is made of words that you can change at any time. You don’t have to hold tight and fast to anything here.
Step 3:
Piece it together.
Now that you have your keyword(s) picked out, you can start crafting your phrase. You want to keep your mantra positive and actionable. For example, rather than saying,I will stop eating junk food so I can be healthier, you would say,I will nourish my body by eating healthy, whole foods. The first phrase is a bit negative and sounds like you’re depriving yourself of something, even if it’s unhealthy junk food that you don’t want to be eating. The second phrase, on the other hand, includes positive-action language that is encouraging you to take steps in the right direction towards a healthier lifestyle.
Here’s another example for good measure:I can’t let my fear get in my way anymore, becomesI will let go of the fear that is holding back.
Play around with a few variations of your mantra to get a feel for the way words can change the meaning your intentions. When you land the right phrasing, you’ll know. And then you have a new, authentic and unique mantra!
