Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | London 17°C · Overcast
DailyGlimpse

Can a 'Power Phrase' Transform a Timid Soul? One Sceptic’s Honest Experiment

Lifestyle
July 13, 2026 · 1:27 PM
Can a 'Power Phrase' Transform a Timid Soul? One Sceptic’s Honest Experiment

I’ve never considered myself a go-getter. More of a go-lay-on-the-sofa-and-stare-at-the-ceiling type. So when a friend suggested I try a "power phrase"—a short, assertive mantra to repeat before daunting tasks—I was deeply sceptical. Yet curiosity (and mild desperation) won.

For a week, I forced myself to say “I can do this” before answering emails, making phone calls, and even tackling the laundry pile. The results? Mixed. I did send that awkward email I’d been avoiding, but I also felt like a fool muttering to myself in the mirror.

Perhaps the real power isn’t in the words themselves, but in the momentary pause they force—a breath before the plunge. I’m still a worm, but maybe a worm with slightly better posture. Worth a shot, I suppose.

React