Mantras; What are They and How to Utilize Them in 2026

When you hear the word mantra, you may be transported to thoughts of yoga or eastern philosophies. You wouldn't be wrong but it could make mantras feel like something that wouldn’t fit into your life. Simply put, mantras are phrases that are short, positive, easy to remember, and typically related to a mindset you want to embody. They can be a powerful tool to utilize when working on shifting your internal mental landscape. 

Why Mantras Matter

When we are feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to begin to spiral with our thoughts and feelings. When we are overworking our brain, we can get exhausted. It can be hard to come up with comforting words or phrases. If we take time to create a mantra for ourselves when we are feeling well, we can read them or recall them more easily when we find ourselves in times of distress. They can be comforting reminders of who you are, what you like to do, and general outlooks on life or the world.

How To Write A Mantra

Mantras are present tense statements that are positively phrased. For example, “I feel good while moving my body” or “time moves me forward.” They are statements written in the present tense which suggests you avoid using the phrases “I will” or “I did.” They are positive which suggests avoiding using negative words like “I don’t” or “stop.” This can look like “someday I will stop putting myself down” or “I don’t accept excuses.”

Some more examples of positive mantras:

• I am enough.
• I make my community a better place.
• I have the power to create meaning in my life every day.
• My boundaries are strong and available to me at any time. 
• I show up during hard times.
• I take accountability when I make mistakes.

Mantras in Practice

It can feel a little awkward to start using mantras in the beginning. It can almost feel like you’re participating in “fake it until you make it” ideologies. Mantras are the truth that can be easy to forget when we are upset. They are the reminders of the person we are instead of the labels we want to give ourselves when we are feeling bad. When we are feeling down or make a mistake, it is easy to let that one moment color your opinion of yourself. 

Mantras and 2026

Now that we know what mantras are, how to write them, how they can be helpful, let's see how we can apply them to our resolutions for 2026. Typically resolutions are about stopping a behavior or losing and gaining something. These kinds of statements that we make for ourselves can end up making us feel a lot of pressure. When we feel a lot of pressure by itself, it can be too much and result in feeling failure about not being able to stick to something even though we want it badly. Having a mantra or even two could be a way to help balance out the pressure of trying to achieve your goal. Mantras can be an easy way to practice self compassion while working on being accountable for a change you’d like to make.

Sometimes, a mantra is not enough. Was it challenging to even try to come up with one? If you find yourself in a cycle of starting and stopping goals or cycles of negative self talk, you may benefit from seeking professional help. At Oak Creek Relational Counseling Center, we provide sliding scale therapy to the residents of California through telehealth and in person in our Pleasant Hill clinic. Reach out today to get started.

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