Why You Need a Mantra for the New Year

The New Year is here, and I’m absolutely, positively convinced that you need a mantra for the new year! It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the different theories about New Year’s resolutions. Do you choose a goal, a word, or a new challenge each month; what’s the best approach? As I shared in last week’s post, I’m in the camp that chooses a mantra for the new year.

Whether you call it a mantra, a motto, or a personal catchphrase, it doesn’t matter. Having a go-to phrase to guide you in moments of choice and decision is key to living a healthy and meaningful life. Today, I’m sharing why having a mantra for the new year is so important. Plus, I’m sharing three simple tips to create you own. Let’s do this!

Now that you know why you need to have a mantra for the new year, let’s talk about three simple tips for creating your own.

1. It needs to be personal and value driven. Choose an idea that matters to you. Start by asking yourself what you want to remember this year. What do you want to do differently? How do you want to be? In moments where you have a choice, what do you want to choose? Last year, I really wanted to push myself to take more risks, so my mantra was focused on courage. Perhaps you want to be more mindful or present. Maybe you want to practice gratitude or better advocate for yourself. Zero in on what your current challenge or focus is for this season of your life.

2. Make it action oriented. You want your mantra for the new year to guide your decisions. You want it to steer your choices. So make it action oriented. Start your mantra with a verb. Be where you are. Lean into discomfort. Practice gratitude. Each of these mantras start with an action word, reminding you in moments of choice that you have the power to shape each and every moment.

3. Keep it short and sweet. I’m a big fan of self-talk. That’s not a secret if you’re a regular here. But sometimes you don’t have the time for a long pep talk. Cue your mantra! This boils a big idea down into a simple phrase, making it easy to remember and use. For this reason, make your mantra simple. The simpler it is, the more likely you are to use it.

Put each of these three things together, and you’ve got yourself a mantra for the new year. Now the trick is to use this mantra. Write it down, put up a sticky note, and repeat often. You may need to say it out loud for a few weeks, and over time, you’ll develop a nice internal whisper. My hypothesis? You’ll be shocked at how powerful this whisper can be.

PS: If you haven’t yet read my reflections on my 2017 mantra, I highly recommend you pop over and read that. It will give you some helpful insight into how and why having a mantra for the new year is so helpful.