No matter how content you are – everyone can benefit from an extra boost of positivity and purposefulness in their daily routine 

You could focus a lot on how you communicate with others, but what about how you communicate with yourself?

Words are powerful. The words you speak to yourself daily affect not only your views of yourself but also your view of the world around you.

How can you become more grounded and retain a more optimistic outlook on life? It starts from within. Practicing mantras is the way to start!

“Mantras can be a word, phrase, or short sentence of anything that lets us connect to ourselves and the present moment in a helpful way. Mantras can create mindfulness and help with mind training by allowing us to consciously choose what to put our attention towards,” said Angela Landers, Georgia Southern University’s (Statesboro Campus) assistant director for Outreach & Community Engagement. 

A Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Yoga teacher, Landers has much experience with helping others calm their mind and recenter their focus.

 “Our thoughts like to run rampant, which can be OK because that’s the nature of the mind,” said Landers. “But this can create problems when we need to focus, like during a test or when studying. This practice allows us to put our focus where we want it.

Mantras allow you to connect with yourself in a way that others cannot. Sparing a few minutes of your day to build yourself out reaps a great reward. The mindfulness that comes with incorporating mantras into your everyday life promotes the feeling of contentment, alertness, and courage to move forward with no worries.

 GSU’s Counseling Center offers a virtual event every Wednesday called Magical Mantras. As the host of this event, Landers describes Magical Mantras as “a brief, drop-in workshop where we define what a mantra is, how to create one intentionally, when to use them, and how they can be magical in terms of reducing stress and increasing presence.”

It is very easy to get caught up in the rush of being a busy student, supportive friend, or hardworking employee. Oftentimes people forget to just be. The feeling of anxiety can easily take over and lead to negative mindsets of depression or low self-worth.

“Regular mindfulness and mantra practice can increase positive and content feelings, improve confidence and self-esteem and reduce stress. Many times we let our brain think about whatever it wants to think about, and this practice allows us to intentionally tell our brains what to think instead,” said Landers. “The practice of telling ourselves validating, soothing, and positive messages can improve our mental health and give us a nice reset when we feel stress.”

 Confused about where to start? Here are some powerful mantras to incorporate into your daily routine:

“I matter.”

“I feel energetic and alive.” 

“I am enough and I am whole.”

“Stress does not live inside of me.” 

“I am successful in everything I do.”

“I know my worth.” 

“I am healthy and full of life” 

“I deserve all that is good.” 

“I accept what I cannot control.”

“I am strong.” 

“I am grateful.” 

“I choose to see the positive, even in hard times.”

“I am centered and grounded.”

“I am confident.” 

“I do not allow others’ judgments and opinions control me.”