The Power of Mantras

 Written by Helena Lorenz, M.S.W, LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

Everyone talks to themselves. Most of the time, we chatter on to ourselves inside our head and we aren’t even fully aware that we are doing it. Our thoughts and opinions and judgments simply play on like a never-ending record in our mind, and we oftentimes don’t stop to pay any attention to what the lyrics are actually saying.

When we struggle with anxiety or depression or even just heightened stress, the lyrics that might be running through our heads may paint a picture of pessimism, self-doubt, or even self-hatred. When we are coping with traumas and stressors, we can tell ourselves cruel falsehoods that, if repeated often enough, can start to feel true. In therapy, we work diligently to firstly bring awareness to the hurtful lies we can tell ourselves, and then secondly to change the tape to something kinder, gentler, and more in tune with reality. There are a variety of strategies for engaging in this change-up, and one such strategy is to add positive mantras into our daily routine.

The word mantra is of Sanskrit origin, and its formal definition is that of a sacred message, charm, or spell. Within Hinduism and Buddhism, to practice a mantra means to practice specific chanting rituals which are believed to be imbued with spiritual and/or magical powers. Western culture has adopted to term mantra in a way that is more informal and less religious in its connotation. Today, a mantra can be practically any turn of phrase that is repeated to oneself in a ritualized manner.

Important to note here is the vital aspect of repetition; it takes times for our brain to learn a new script, and so simply telling ourselves a few positive affirmations infrequently/sporadically isn’t likely produce the positive, long-lasting results we are looking for. So take a designated time of your day on a regular basis to try and infuse your self-talk with more compassion and grace. Maybe it’s in the morning after you brush your teeth, maybe it’s on your commute to work, maybe it’s in bed before you fall asleep. Whenever it is, make it regular, and make it something that you can look forward to in your day.

Since it can be hard to know where to start with changing our internal script, I’m going to be sharing regular mantras that you can incorporate into your routine and personalize as you need. Below is our first mantra to work with, addressing common feelings of self-doubt or unworthiness. Find a quiet moment, take a deep breath, and say the words out loud to yourself as you feel comfortable.

I may not have everything figured out right now, and that is ok.

I will work on respecting and honoring my imperfections.

I will hold grace and love for myself as I would for a valued friend or family member.

I will breathe in and out and know that I am always enough.

Contact us today to set up a free consultation for adult therapy in Houston or San Antonio.