5 Mantras to Check In with Your Authentic Self
In this blog post, Pamela Edmondson shares 5 mantras that you can use on a daily basis to live your most authentic life
As someone who’s tried to live life as authentically as possible since my early years, I want to share these 5 mantras that help me check in with my authentic self on a daily basis. And I hope you find them useful if you’re struggling to find or hold onto your authentic self.
And look. It’s tricky business.
The notion that you can believe you’re enough… to be exactly who you are, boldly and shamelessly… might sound like fanciful dreams.
Fear holds a lot of people back when it comes to authenticity. We’re scared of being too bold, too selfish. We’re scared of pissing people off… which happens when you’re being authentic.
But if you can get past that fear, in small steps every day, and commit to your authentic practices… it can be liberating. Life-changing.
You find your voice, your power. You’re clearer on what you want. Life is just more fun.
But you have to start somewhere. Authenticity isn’t something you’re born with. It’s a choice. Here are 5 mantras to help you start building that muscle, to check in with your authentic self on a daily basis until it becomes second nature.
1.There is enough room for me here
Ever walked into a room and you’re immediately insecure? Nothing’s happened, but you feel like you don’t belong. I’ve been there. It’s hard. Especially if you have a habit of being hard on yourself.
We’re scared of being seen.
As soon as we’re around people, the comparison game goes into overdrive: image, personality, credibility. And it happens everywhere. Work meetings, family dinner, parties, walking down the street.
But here’s a simple truth: there’s enough room for you. In that room and in the world.
And what I love about this mantra is it doesn’t puff you up or give delusions of superiority. It’s a neutral encouragement that acknowledges you, your right to exist and have a voice.
You don’t even have to speak or make impressions. This isn’t for them. It’s for you to feel internally grounded. To reclaim your right to take up space, physically, emotionally, intellectually… an essential first step in authenticity.
Give it a go. You’d be surprised how powerful it is.
2. What does my child-self want?
One of my favorite mantras, this one is all about connecting with your inner child. But… it’s harder than it sounds.
Society seems to think we grow into adults and shed our child-self behind. I call bullshit. Our bodies may have grown but that inner core, the essence of who we are, never really changes.
Admit it, you still have childish urges. You just have better control.
Authenticity stems from our inner child. Remember those days, when you were shamelessly yourself before you were judged, shamed, criticized?
Time to reconcile. Our inner child has needs we often ignore for the sake of “adulting”.
There’s a part of you that wants to build a snowman on a winter day but you don’t want to get your shoes wet. There’s a part of you that wants to sit in the sun and watch the birds for 30 minutes but you decided there’s no time.
Your child-self speaks all the time… what urges does he/she have? Are you drawn toward a paint brush or building things out of scraps?
Where is your curiosity, your creativity?
This is an excellent practice to align with self. To connect with the core of you, especially when times are hard.
Authenticity is understanding who you are and what you want, and this is the perfect mantra to practice that.
3. I need alone time
I’m surprised to find this one scares a lot of people. Alone time tends to cause anxiety and guess what? Now’s the perfect time to figure out why.
I have friends who are constantly doing something and seeking others. And I always wonder 'What are they avoiding?'.
Whether you’re an extrovert or not, alone time is crucial. To sit with your own thoughts, catch up with your emotions… the horror, right?
But this is essential. You can’t outrun yourself. And I learned the hard way that if you keep running, your body will find another - oftentimes unpleasant - way to signal something’s wrong.
Outside of addressing your needs, alone time also highlights what you actually enjoy doing. Who are you when no one’s watching? What brings you joy when there’s no one to impress, no one to answer to? This is authenticity.
So investigate yourself. Trust me, it’s not so scary.
4. Am I trying to act cool?
Ah, I love this one. It’s quite humbling when you realize you’ve just done something inauthentic for “cool” points. Being authentic and being cool don’t mesh well.
And look, I’m no saint here. Raised in a competitive household, I’m constantly checking my urge to flaunt intellectual prowess.
And it’s normal to want to be liked, to want to belong. But our need to “fit in” often comes at the cost of authenticity.
It can be terrifying at first, but allow yourself to be imperfect. Ask yourself this uncomfortable question and notice where your thoughts are at.
It’s important to understand that authenticity doesn’t work if you’re boosting yourself to feel superior in some social game. It’s an internal feeling that exists without the need to flaunt.
So it’s cool to be cool… but it’s better to be authentic.
5. What are my boundaries?
One of my favorite things is saying no to people. When you’re connected with your core, you become a pro at setting boundaries.
Boundaries are good practice in letting go of what people think. You don’t need to sacrifice your needs because you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings - and people who love you won’t care anyway.
So say no.
And this goes beyond honoring your needs. Setting boundaries and understanding what you want out of life sets you on a path of ridiculous success.
While the other mantras help you identify that thing you love, this mantra empowers you to pursue that thing with intense focus.
As the famous quote by Warren Buffett goes, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
When you narrow your focus, you stop feeling so scattered. You’re no longer pulled in a million directions, like your friends who want to black out at the bar or endless scrolling on social media.
Your boundaries start to feel like a superpower, realigning you to your true path over and over again.
Pursuing what you love, no matter the outcome, is true fulfillment. And that’s why authenticity is important. Don’t be afraid to practice your right to exist in the world. Use your voice and sit in who you are, imperfect, vulnerable, wholehearted… the essence of your authentic self.
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