How A Mantra Can Improve Your Focus In Life

"Mantra" has become a misused word - one that gets casually thrown into everyday conversations and is even used as the name of a major hotel chain. But what exactly is a mantra, how do you create your own and how can you use one to improve your life?

According to the Collins Dictionary online a mantra is: (Hinduism) a sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell, or a syllable or portion of scripture containing mystical potentialities; and a commonly repeated word or phrase. Wikipedia's definition is: a mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation" (cf. spiritual transformation). Their use and type varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra.

For me a mantra is a daily confirmation that you are living a truth about yourself. It's not an expression of what you want from life, desire from life or are in the process of achieving in life, as most common affirmations are.

For example I see the phrases 'I am a walking and loving representation of love' and 'kindness is more than deeds' as attempts at acting a certain way but they are not always deliverable. As a result, people break these affirmations constantly. I find that affirmations are like New Year's Resolutions - they are attempts for people to be good or dedicated but are not based on the reality of what you are prepared to do in any situation or your ability to always stay who you are.

My mantra is 'Be the change in the world you wish to see'. It is an expression by Ghandi but has been made into my mantra through my commitment to who I am as a person.

Why Do You Need a Mantra?

You need a mantra in your life so that you stay on track in any situation. That means during good times and bad, in highs and lows and when you learn value and disappointment so that you always remember who you are and what your purpose as an individual is. I do not mean what your life purpose is, but rather who as a person you will face the world as being.

I seek to be change that comes into the world through tolerance and acceptance when needed, through ambition and perseverance when needed, through guiding people and leading when needed, through sitting quietly (and not so quietly) when needed.

Your mantra defines your inner core.

It is wonderful to seek an all-encompassing love, peace and world perspective - but it is rarely maintained when the mechanics of daily life mean that your world is moved or torn asunder. So you must find your base as a person to decide how you will stabilize yourself each day and this can be done through a small internal chant that reconnects your thinking with your inner core.

To create and build your mantra you can ask yourself the following questions. They will also act as your grounding posts that relate back to your mantra each time you feel off course and need to regain your core.

Who am I?

It's incredible how difficult people find answering this. State your name and think of all the things and roles that you attach to that. Now when you strip those away, you are simply yourself - no mess, no fuss, and no definitions. You need to define who you are first - before you are a mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, wife, husband, friend, work colleague, boss, mentor, comforter, problem-solver etc. You ARE the vehicle that drives all those other versions of yourself.

What does being me mean?

Does it mean to enjoy life? To seek to have an extraordinary life full of learning, fun, laughter, wealth and opportunity? Does it mean to be 100% yourself without regret and worry? To nurture, love, trust and those in your life? Is it to learn as much as you can? It's not until you really think about the answer to this question that you begin to see what the most important things to you are - or what you'd like them to be.

How do I propose to do this life of being me?

What is it you struggle with? What character traits do you have or need to define to ensure that you are always comfortable with the way in which you live? What are the things that bring you the greatest joy and how are you doing "you" when you're enjoying them?

For example, as a psychic I struggle at times with the fact that people assume I am 'on' all the time. I do not wish to read or interpret people all the time. So, transparency is a way I wish to do me. When people are direct I find it easier to understand what they need, want or are saying - so directness is important to me. Humor is critical for me. I need to laugh with life so humor is another key to "doing" me.

Love and understanding is important to me. Remember this about YOU, NOT OTHER PEOPLE. So love and understanding of how I need to manage myself in any environment is important to me. For example - I have learnt to say no to people. If I don't I will end up tired and frustrated with myself and my sons so I need to carefully manage my time and what I do.

Finally, I value self honesty. What are the things within my life internally and externally that I am comfortable and not comfortable with? I ask myself that in order to determine, by actioning or being involved in any of these areas, how they will add to my life. If they do not then they simply will not happen.

Can I safely do me in this environment?

This is critical to ask yourself because if you feel fear or the inability to move into who you are within your current environment or environments (from home to work to all of your different roles) then you are not LIVING your mantra and as such are in resistance to being you to the fullest. In short, if your answer is no, you need assess the situation and rethink how to move forward.

So, the foundations for your mantra should look like this:

I am (your name)

(Your name) means being (add your answers here). My answers are being ambitious to enjoy the fullness of life, fun, intelligent, direct, sincere and loving;

I choose to do (your name) with (add your answers here). My answers are clarity, focus, direction, transparency, humor and love;

I will only ever do (your name) in an environment that is (add your answers here). My answers are loving, nurturing and supportive of me.

By using "Be the change in the world that you want to see" in making my decisions and plans for all aspects of my life, I register these four points when I need to touch base with my spiritual core to make sure I am on track.

Having a mantra is a tool that you use to keep focused and in control of life. In every single aspect of our life it is so easy to get caught up in other people's expectations, demands and thoughts on who we should or should not be. A mantra allows us to check-in and be honest with ourselves and it makes us act honestly.

By creating your mantra you can gently notice how the world subtly becomes less cluttered and more focused for you while you action you to the fullest. Then you will in fact become the change in the world I wish to see: the change of self honesty and growth.