I can do this.

I can do this. I can do this.

My inner monologue rings through my head with these four simple words. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, what I’m thinking about or what the task at hand is. I can do this.

Finding a mantra is a crucial practice to keep yourself centred in your self development journey. The words you repeat to yourself when you’re feeling down or overwhelmed.

Oxford defines a mantra as “a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation” and “a statement or slogan repeated frequently.” You are probably aware of hundreds of examples. Think about your favourite sports team and what slogan they abide by. Maybe your workplace has a mission statement.

The reason we are attracted to these slogans is because they give us a basis to understand the goals we want to achieve. Nike uses “Just Do It” and with just those three words, you know exactly what message the company is trying to embody.

I was kind of forced to watch a movie starring Sally Field called “Hello, My Name is Doris.” Not normally my kind of film, but, hey, it also starred Max Greenfield of New Girl fame playing the loveable douchebag Schmidt, so I got through it. I won’t ruin the plot, but Doris is a 60-year-old woman who has a crush on Max Greenfield’s character, and she repeats the mantra “I’m possible.” Throughout the film, she reminds herself that instead of seeing her aspirations as impossible, she sees them as possible because she believes it.

There was a time when my inner monologue was the opposite of my current mantra. I can’t do this.

Chop wood and stack in a neat pile? I can’t do that. I’m too weak. I’m a hazard with an axe. My cousins said so. If I start stacking the pile nicely, it’s gonna fall over because that’s just how things go for me.

Go to work at an oilfield plant? I can’t do that. It’s gruelling work and I’m not smart or strong enough. Plus, it’s super dangerous. I’d probably get killed.

Ask the hottest girl in the bar dance? I can’t do that. She’s way out of my league. I have nothing to offer. She’s probably only into jerks and wouldn’t give a nice guy like me the chance.

Remember what I said about the wolf you feed in a previous article??? I was constantly feeding my negative wolf. I was the king of self doubt! Where is my crown?

When I was finally sick of settling for the lesser version of myself, I made up my mind that I was going to reinvent myself. I had to do a complete inventory.

I knew I was capable of more than I allowed myself to be. I listened to the outside noise, telling me what I was and wasn’t capable of. It all culminated one night at my family reunion. An older cousin that I really respected came over to my camper to assist me. I was hauling a camper for the first time, and the narrative around me was that I wasn’t man enough to handle the logistics.

I decided I wasn’t gonna take the punches anymore. Not without fighting back. I got my trailer unloaded, levelled and ready for the weekend. That cousin responded “I’m so proud of you, I never thought you’d be able to do this stuff.”

It was meant to be a compliment, but it fired me up.

Later that weekend, I grabbed an axe after we knocked a few trees down on the wood trip. I decided I wasn’t going to be quiet anymore. I was gonna chop the wood. I heard the jokes and the gasps along the lines of “watch out, Trin has the axe!!!”. Instead of pouting or getting upset, I carried on. I can do this.

After my divorce, I focused hardcore on fitness. All I knew was that I wanted to get into better shape. That’s how it started.

I was motivated to be more attractive to the opposite sex, and not near as much focused on my personal health.

I was running aimlessly with no real goal, so I decided to set some running goals. I set my sights on running a 5K. That seemed like a lot for someone who doesn’t run frequently, but it was attainable. I just wanted to be consistent. Before I knew it, 5K was just a normal distance for me every time I laced up my old ratty Nikes!

After that, just running a 5K wasn’t enough. I needed to run it in under 30 minutes. I conquered that. Then I set my sights on becoming a gym rat. I got a gym membership, and once again I found myself working out without a plan. Still better than before, but I needed more structure.

I did my research and found a gym called Orange Theory Fitness. It was pricier than other gyms, but it had different workouts offered every single day. You had to wear a heart monitor that displayed your heart rate on the big screen. For every minute spent in the “orange zone” or “red zone”, it would result in splat points. The goal was to get 12 splat points per workout.

As someone who thrives with immediate gratification, it was perfect. Chef’s kiss!

The amount of times I thought I was out of gas, or had nothing left to give was plentiful, but I had my mantra. I can do this.

During my first workout, I told myself I was going to do 100 classes. I can do that. A year later I accomplished my goal. 100 classes. I was now known as Trin, the guy who works out at Orange Theory! The 275-pound 19-year-old me would not believe that. I had my mantra. I can do this.

So whatever it is that you are going through, find your mantra. Write it down. Put it on your dashboard. Put it by your coffee pot. Put it in front of your treadmill. That’s where mine is currently.

If you don’t know where to start, I highly suggest checking out a beautiful book called “You Were Not Born To Suffer” by Blake D Bauer. Every chapter ends with a list of affirmations, many of which can be a great starting point in finding your mantra.

Some examples of mantras that I enjoy or have used in the past;

“I am enough”.

“I will not give my power away”.

“I’m possible”.

“Nobody can stop me”.

“Life is beautiful”.

“I am gonna change the world”.

Find it. Repeat it. Live by it.