There are many powerful mantras for self-confidence and self-esteem. You can use them to produce positive belief and to feel good about yourself. When you meditate on these affirmations, self-belief will naturally grow.
Confidence is defined as the belief or faith that you can rely on yourself to accomplish goals and overcome hurdles.
In my insanely massive guide to meditation mantras, I revealed how sacred words and affirmations can create positive states of mind.
Research by Christopher N. Cascio at the University of Pennsylvania, Annenverg shows that reciting affirmations for confidence activates parts of the brain that are related to self-esteem and positive feelings about ourselves (including the striatum and prefrontal cortex).
The effects are increased when you meditate on mantras for self-confidence.
It is well known that there are huge benefits of meditation for confidence.
Indeed, one of the main reasons people book online meditation lessons with me is to increase their self-confidence. And one of the best ways to do that is by using self-confidence mantras.
Best affirmations & mantras for self-confidence
Combine the following with my guided mediation script for confidence.
English mantras
- “I appreciate myself and welcome positive thoughts and feelings into my being.”
- “I am a great person and I deserve to feel great.”
- “I am secure in myself. I do not compare myself to others.”
- “I am a healthy, happy, positive person.”
- “I am sending love and happiness to myself.”
- “I embrace my positive qualities and value myself highly.”
- “I am living for the moment”
- “I recognise the strength inside myself.”
- “Everything I will ever need is already inside of me”
- “I can do it.”
- “Yes, I can.”
- “I recognise my own power.”
- “I believe in myself.”
When you recite these mantras, notice any negative thoughts that crop up. If you experience negative thoughts, you can change your thoughts with CBT.
Buddhist Mantras for Self-Confidence
1: “My heart and mind are open”
It is important to always have an open heart and mind.
When your heart is open you allow other people into your life. You allow yourself into your own heart. You must accept yourself and all others with love and kindness. This is best achieved through an open heart. And an open mind is important for lessening the grip negative thoughts have on you.
2. “Slowly, appreciatively, with gratitude”
When you are stressed, you tend to race around. I know personally that when I suffered from depression and anxiety, I was always inwardly rushing while achieving nothing. Go slowly, take your time, appreciate everything and express gratitude. This will help you to have a more positive state of mind and to be happier.
3: “The easy way is the best way”
I know personally that I have a terrible habit of making everything unnecessarily difficult, as though I’m just attracted to drama. This affirmation tells me to chill, to stop being so rushed and to take it easy. Why make life hard when it doesn’t need to be?
Vedic and Hindu Mantras
Okay, so we’ve covered the English mantras and some Buddhist ones. Now time for Hindu and Vedic ones.
1. Om Namah Shivaya
Om Nimah Shavaya can be translated to mean “I bow to Shiva, the supreme deity, the truest and highest self.”
It is saying “I honour that which is divine within my being.” This reminds us that we are divine beings. It puts us in touch with our truest self and, in doing so, boosts our confidence.
2. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
This means: “May everyone be free and experience happiness, and may my own actions, thoughts and words be instrumental towards the freedom and happiness of others.”
This one is very effective for developing loving-kindness towards ourselves and others. It is centred on compassion, both for self and others. When we achieve self-love we encourage the development of self-confidence.
3. Om Gum Ganapatayei Namah
This Hindu mantra for confidence is said in devotion to Ganesh, the god of success and wisdom and the destroyer of obstacles. It translates to: “I devote myself to Ganesh, who removes obstacles. I pray for blessing and protection.”
This chant is more about removing negatives in our lives rather than promoting positives. A lack of confidence is one such obstacle. When we show devotion to Ganesh it is said that we will remove these obstacles from our lives.
Also, see my list of mantras for the mind.
Benefits of Affirmations & Mantras For Self Confidence
Mantras can mean two quite different things depending on one’s culture.
Firstly, in the West, the term mantra generally means “affirmation’, which is a positive statement we recite to ourselves for the purpose of various psychological benefits.
In the East, however, the term mantra has a more spiritual meaning and refers to sacred phrases that are recited in Japa (mantra meditation).
If you truly want to build confidence, you should also use chanting and Japa (meditative recitations) to get rid of the negative influences that are lowering your confidence.
Even if you are actually using affirmations for confidence (instead of mantras) it is best to meditate on them.
Meditation relaxes and focuses the mind so that mantras can have a more positive effect. Meditating activates the parasympathetic nervous system to help the mind to relax. We then recite affirmations to exercise the striatum and prefrontal cortex and to instil positive self-belief.
Repeating positive mantras or affirmations encourages the mind to start to think positively. The recitation of the mantra breeds positive thoughts in the mind, which leads to self-confidence.
You probably will encounter some negative thoughts when you use these. If this happens to you, use of my tips to kill negative thoughts.
This article was submitted by a guest blogger. You can read about the author in the post above. If you would like to submit an article, please write for us (sponsored guest posts).
Paul Harrison, Editor, THE DAILY MEDITATION.
