Do You Use a Personal Mantra?

I like to practice Yoga and have done so for over a decade.

In my practice, we often use Mantras. I have become increasingly interested in these and, in particular, how they can be incorporated into our everyday lives.

Traditionally, a mantra (especially in Hinduism and Buddhism) is a word or sound that is believed to have a special spiritual power. A personal mantra is sometimes repeated as an aid to meditation or prayer.

A mantra can be lots of things: a favourite quote, a power phrase, a proverb, an affirmation – anything that resonates with you.

I like to use a personal mantra as a positive phrase or affirmative statement that I can say to myself for the purpose of motivation or encouragement. In the training I deliver, I talk about using a mantra as a way of maintaining focus and to avoid being distracted or drawn ‘off course.’

Having a mantra to conjure up, to give you focus, can be an immensely powerful tool. Here are a few that I, attribute to other people, sometimes use:

‘70% is enough.’
‘I am enough.’
‘I am glad I am here. I am glad you are here. I care about you. I know that I know.’

Two quotations that I have shared recently with clients I particularly like are:

‘10% is what happens to us and 90% is how we react.’ (Charles R Swindoll)
‘Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better.’ (Samuel Beckett)

Do you have a favourite mantra or quotation you like to use?