We’ve all been to a point where the frustrations of daily life can put us in a sour mood. Occasionally, it may be challenging to pull yourself out of that mood. When this happens, it’s easy for your spirit to turn to hopelessness. Your attitude doesn’t have to stay that way, but you might need a little help getting out of it. That’s where positive thinking comes in.
Scientific research shows that positive thinking can be a great tool to boost your cognitive health. Saying inspirational messages to yourself can change your emotions by redirecting your brain activity away from negative thoughts and feelings to positive ones. Even if you aren’t the type to meditate, merely saying them can be enough to enact a significant mood change. Here are ten powerful and inspirational mantras to remember when you’re bogged down with a feeling of hopelessness.
10 Mantras to Overcome the Feeling of Being Hopeless
1. “I will get better.”
Telling yourself that you will get better can bring you the strength that you need to make it through the next minute or the following year. Even if you don’t believe it, saying it to yourself can push away your hopeless feeling long enough to get you to the next moment. Say it once or say it one hundred times. Say it to yourself or say it out loud. Just say it and say it often.
One of the worst parts of feeling hopeless is feeling like there is no end to your suffering. This is often just a feeling – albeit a strong one – and it’s usually not reality. Telling yourself you will get better helps you to see that you’ll get past the suffering. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
2. “I’m putting me first.”
There is something very noble about putting others first, but you can’t do that at the expense of sacrificing yourself. Remember that you are just as important as everyone around you. You need to embrace your self-worth. Your goals, dreams, and desires matter, and they are only going to happen if you pursue them.
That means putting yourself first.
Many people feel selfish when they put themselves first. The truth is that you’ve probably put others first for a long time. You’ve given them every opportunity to pull themselves up while you supported them from falling. You’ve done your part, so you have nothing to feel selfish about.
3. “You said tomorrow yesterday.”
Procrastination is a common symptom of hopelessness. It’s easy to say, “tomorrow.” It’s hard to say, “right now.” However, you have to say “right now” because you told yourself “tomorrow” yesterday.
Yesterday is now today.
Even if you don’t feel like it and also if you don’t have the motivation, do it anyway. Push yourself harder than you’ve ever pushed before.
It’s hard to overcome your inertia. Inertia is the tendency to do nothing to change your situation. However, inertia is usually the hardest part of the journey. Once you’ve overcome that inactivity, the rest will come easy. Suddenly, your hopelessness begins to turn into hope, followed by motivation, followed by success.
4. “You didn’t come this far to stop now.”
If your hopelessness stems from obstacles you’re facing, this is an excellent message for you. It reminds you of where you started and all that you had to face to get where you are right now. When things seem harsh, don’t give up. You’ve been facing and navigating so many obstacles with success. There is no reason to think you can’t have the same results with more barriers.
Sure, this obstacle might be the toughest of all so far, but that just means the reward will be even higher once you pass it. You’ve heard the saying, “no pain, no gain.” That applies here, so don’t give up. Keep pushing, whether you have to go over, under, around, or through the obstacle that you’re facing.
5. “Let it go.”
Too often, people get caught up in things that happened in the past. The past is just that – it can’t be changed. You must let it go and move on with your life. You must begin a new chapter. It’s okay to start a new chapter. You must permit yourself to forgive yourself and others for the things that happened. You have to be willing to embrace the idea that a new future can exist.
Letting go of the past can be hard, especially if you’re still in the same environment from your past. This environment can be toxic if you don’t have people who are willing to support your growth. Trust that your self-worth is excellent enough to pursue a better future and turn your focus toward that. Even the most successful people in the world have had to let go of some things from the past.
6. “I am enough.”
Reminding yourself that you are enough is one of the most important messages you can tell yourself often. Life can be tough, and at times you may feel like you just can’t. However, it’s not impossible. You can do it. You’re strong enough. You’re a fighter, and you have all the tools you need to succeed inside of you. You are enough to conquer your hopes and dreams.
Hopeless feelings can sometimes stem from being overwhelmed – feeling like you’re in over your head. After all, life doesn’t stop and give you time to catch up. At these moments, you need to give yourself a break. Stop, take a breath, and remind yourself that you are enough. Think positive thoughts. Think about what it will be like to succeed, and you’ll find yourself much more motivated than before. Say it over and over, as many times as you need to until you can center yourself and focus.
7. “Things don’t happen to me, they just happen.”
When you’re feeling hopeless, it can be easy to take things personally. Remember, things happen. It’s not your fault, and it’s not a bad luck streak. It’s just life doing what life does – giving you lemons. When things happen, take some time to think about what happened honestly. Is something that happened to you? Or is it some random event that could happen to anyone? You’ll usually see that it’s the latter.
When things happen, it’s not the end of the world. There are more opportunities around the corner. Just remember, when you’re feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, remind yourself that things don’t happen to you. These things just happen, and it’s time to make lemonade.
8. “No one can take my joy.”
Your joy is something that you own. It doesn’t belong to anyone else unless you give it away. You get to be as joyous as you allow yourself to be. It doesn’t matter what your situation is. There is always something to be joyful about.
It can indeed be challenging to be joyous when you feel hopeless. This is the time to remind yourself of everything you have to be joyous about. Writing down all the reasons you have to be joyful can be a powerful tool. For one thing, it will take your mind off whatever has you feeling hopeless. For another, it can help you focus on things that make you feel good. You’d be surprised how writing these reasons down can shift your focus and suddenly open your eyes to a plan for a happier life.
9. “I choose to be happy.”
Life is full of choices. Happiness is one of them. You can choose to stay in your current, sad, hopeless state of mind, or you can simply choose to be happy. This doesn’t mean that all the hurt and pain in your life will suddenly disappear. This means that you don’t have to be weighed down by them. It’s a lot easier to work through your issues when you’re happy.
Being happy may not be easy at first. You may have to fake it until you make it. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. Spend time with friends, also if you just want to crawl into a ball under your bed covers. Choose happiness. Just like that, with the snap of two fingers, you can only be happy. You deserve it.
10. “I am loved and cared for.”
Love can conquer anything. You are loved. Sometimes feelings of hopelessness can close your heart so you can’t feel the love coming from others. If you aren’t feeling the love, repeating this mantra is more important than all the others. Tell yourself every day, several times a day that you are loved and cared for. Spend time with people who love and care for you so you can have proof that you are loved and cared for.
When you tell yourself, you are loved and cared for. You’ll slowly begin to open your heart. You’ll give yourself permission to be loved. It may be scary at first but keep going. Love can heal whatever is causing your hopelessness.
Final Thoughts on Using Mantras to Overcome Feeling Hopeless
Positive thinking goes a long way when you feel hopeless. You may not even realize how much mantras are improving your mood until you realize how good you feel. However, if you’re saying mantras often and you still can’t shake the feeling, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone for help.
