CAN YOU TRUST THE MANTRA THAT’S RUNNING THROUGH YOUR HEAD?

Nowhere are the words “you get back what you give out” more accurate than when it comes to the mental mantra you run through your head each day.

Come on own up … what are you thinking right now? If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the message/s you repeatedly run through your head about your own Self, people or things around you and the ways of the world.

That my friend is your inner mantra.

What are they?

We would define a mantra as any word, sound or thought that continually draws your attention and focus, through repetition. Sometimes you’ll hear them referred to as affirmations, but we prefer the ancient Hindu name of mantra.

Mantras can be positive and expansive, or negative and limiting.

How do they affect you?

The mantras you think and repeat (both consciously and subconsciously) give out energy. And whatever energy your mantra is sending out to the world, it in turn, attracts back into your life.

Therefore those repetitive messages can either help or hinder you -- depending on whether they feed you with energy based on love and abundance, or fear and lack.

Recognise any of these negative, hindering mantras?

“I'm so stressed”

“Quick, hurry”

“If only I had ... “

“She/He's an idiot”

“I'm so fat/unattractive”

“It's so hard”

“I don't have enough time/money/friends”

“I'm so terrible/pathetic/bad at that”

“It's not safe”

“It's their fault”

Our personal favourite is … not having enough time to do everything we want to do.

What's yours?

Can you change them?

Yes, you can. You have the ability to choose your mantras. 

With a little effort, you can remove your negative ones and instead choose purposefully; ones that will help take your life forward and support you in positive ways. Through the creation of positive mantras you’ll experience an incredibly powerful shift away from negativity into an alternate reality – where you’re attracting positive experiences in your life. 

Mantras in action

We recently mentored a group of young female athletes -- rowers – who’s 'self talk' was hindering their performance. After sharing some guidelines on how to use positive mantras to create sentences to repeat to themselves while training, they have been able to overcome their personal obstacles. Some of the mantras they used were: "My legs are powerful," "I have more energy in my muscles," "I am strong," "I am fast," "I love my body," "My arms are strong."

You can also use mantras when running – “I value myself” (on the in-breath) and “I take my time” (on the out-breath).  This will shift the focus away from any shortness of breath or strain you’re feeling, and replacement it with a positive focus, greater energy and direction.  Often when you stop dwelling on perceived limitations, you’ll instead find yourself running twice as long.

Mantra antidotes

If you’re stuck in the groove of a negative thought pattern or perspective, try one of the following mantra antidotes.

Simply identify the negative mantra you currently run and then repeat the corresponding positive mantra either silently or out-loud as many times a day as possible - at least 10 repetitions each time.