How to Write a Mantra to Help You Establish a New Habit

Blog Post by Coach Julie

NCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 & Certified Mindset Coach
Specializing in Women's Health and Gut Health

Creating a new habit or stopping an old habit can be a daunting task.  Studies show it takes 21 days of consistent work to break or create a habit.  Throughout those 21 days, it's very important to identify with the habit and have solid mantra to repeat to yourself to help keep you motivated and accountable.  Identifying with your new habit takes away any identity you have previous assigned yourself.  For example, if you're trying to quit smoking you need to start identifying as a non-smoker.  This is an easy example because that is a habit that often is assigned a label or an identity.  If you're trying to start working out, your new identity is someone that loves themself and takes pride in their health and appearance.  That part is decently easy.  It will take effort to believe in your new identity but the mantra aspect takes a little more effort.  You want to create a mantra that you can memorize and repeat to yourself with temptation arises.  Something you can believe it that is motivating for you to stay on track.  I've broken down the steps to creating a mantra for you below as well as an example.

Give it a try and see what you come up with.

How to Create a Mantra for Developing a New Habit

5 Rules to Writing a Mantra

1. Take three to five of the most loaded/heartbreaking specifics of all your objection and write those down.
2. Write the opposite of these negative beliefs, using words and phrases that have meaning and emotion.
3. Start brainstorming new mantras, keeping your words positive.  Make every word count.  Make every word loaded with the feels.
4. Keep your writing in the present tense.
5. Keep your mantra short.

Example:

If you’re new habit is improving your relationship with money, your process may look like this:

Step 1

• Objections
  • Making money isn’t in the cards for me; it’s never going to happen
  • It’s always going to be hard/fun-free for me to make money.
  • If I do somehow miraculously make money, it will be a fluke and the stream will eventually dry up.
  • It’s not safe for me to make money; I’ll lose friends and family and be heart broken

Step 2

• Opposition to Objections Above
  • I am surrounded by money, it’s all over the place, and it flows to me effortlessly and joyfully
  • Money is easy and fun to make, I love making money, and I’m great at making money.
  • Money is my pal, it’s mean for me, it’s here for me, and it flows to me consistently.
  • I can have both money and love; my friends and family will be happy for me; money and love are meant for me.

Step 3

• Edit down your new positive statements from Step 2 and eliminate repetition.
  • I am surrounded by money and it flows to me easily.
  • Money is easy and fun to make. I love making money.
  • Money is meant for me.
  • I can have both money and love.  I am free to make money.

Step 4

• Identify the most charged words in step 3 and put them together in a short mantra
  • Money is fun to make. I love it and it flows to me easily.
  • I’m free to make money.  It’s easy and I’m in the flow with it.
  • I make money freely and easily.  I'm in the flow and it’s fun.

Step 5

• Final mantra ends up
  • Money flows to me easily and freely.