Do You Harbour Unhelpful Mantras?
Have you got some unhelpful mantras? When I mention mantra you may be thinking of something enlightening or meditative. I’m thinking of the other definition of mantra – ‘a statement or slogan repeated frequently’.
Given that definition do you have some unhelpful mantras? I’m guessing that you probably do.
All of us have sayings and phrases in our head, probably stemming from childhood, which help or hinder us in our daily lives.
This can happen at a subconscious level so being aware of what they are can be very liberating. Once you identify the sayings or messages that sap your energy or confidence, you can begin the process of replacing them with something that gives you a boost.
I have an exercise in my Renewyou course on this and am always amazed how ‘naming the beast’ can almost immediately be part of its taming.
Unloveable?
For example, if you have an ‘I am unloveable’ message running through your head, you may be unwittingly projecting this image when people come close. You may be protecting yourself from what you see as an inevitable rejection by giving a subconscious ‘don’t get close’ message. This will be showing itself in all manner of ways: body language, where you choose to sit, eating lunch alone, not joining in with work events, and so on.
Change Your Unhelpful Mantras
Once you become aware of this you can make a choice to change the thought. This in turn will have an impact on how you behave. It could be as simple as replacing it with ‘I am loveable’. It’s often not necessary to pinpoint where that thought came from in order to mitigate its damage to you.
Take a day to notice how many negative messages you give yourself over the course of a day. If you can note them down. Now turn them into something more positive. Make it as simple as you can, eg ‘I’m loveable.’ Because you are.
Top Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
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RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on April 22nd, 2025 by Jane
