5 minutes for you: Motivating mantras to build confidence and resilience

Try these motivating mantras to build resilience and self-confidence

30 August 2023 5 minute read

Dark haired lady wearing glasses sitting on coach gazing out of window with a smile

Even the most confident of us can use some strategies to help us get through a tough day at work, recover from a worse one, or simply to feel at our most positive in the office. Try these motivating mantras to build resilience and self-confidence.

Do your five-minute motivating mantra exercise now.

What is a mantra?

Mantras are sounds, words, or phrases repeated to help with concentration.

Commonly used in yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices, there is research that shows mantras can improve health and help us focus, decrease stress, and remain positive in the face of adversity.

Mantras may help to give us a feeling of control over our day and how we react when stressful situations arise.

Mantras can be as simple as a single sound – think the ‘Om’ sound that is often used during yoga or meditation – or a short phrase or sentence designed to refocus your brain or put you in a positive state of mind.

How do mantras work?

Like other mindfulness practice, mantras can take time to feel natural and part of your routine. It’s important that you choose a mantra that relates specifically to you and something you want or need.

Best-selling author of Tiny Habits B.J. Fogg starts each day by getting out of bed, putting his feet on the floor and saying aloud, “It’s going to be a great day”. A mantra to inspire optimism and positivity, this small exercise has been one of the tiny habits Fogg claims has changed and improved his life.

If you are struggling with self-doubt, need to build confidence for a big meeting or presentation, or simply want to project a positive persona at work, the right mantra could be a step in the right direction.

5 minutes for you: Motivating mantras for added confidence

Step 1: Find your mantra

The first and most important step is selecting a mantra. As well as homing in on what you want to achieve, it needs to be something you can remember easily. There are books and online resources to help you find the perfect phrase for you. Some popular ones include:

“I am capable, I am courageous, I am kind.”

“I believe in my potential”

“Great things begin with small steps”

Step 2: Schedule your mantra

Like any other physical or mental exercise, mantras will have greatest impact if repeated regularly. Select a time in the day where you can repeat your mantra without interruption. Many people do this as they are getting up in the morning or while looking in the mirror as they leave the house.

Step 3: Make your mantra stick

Similarly, to what Fogg calls a self-prompt, have a signal that reminds you to take the time to repeat your mantra. It could be the phrase itself, written on a bright post-it on your mirror, or even a reminder on your smartwatch or phone.

Step 4: Commit to your mantra

At your chosen time every day, find a quiet space and repeat your mantra 3-5 times aloud. It can help to look at yourself in the mirror. Focus not only on the words but on how you feel when you say them. Believe them. Connect with them.

Step 5: Use your mantra at stressful times

Having a mantra that reminds you how capable and committed you are can help in stressful situations, even when you can only repeat the words in your head. Use your mantra to help you refocus during moments of tension at work, and to help you destress at the end of the day.