This is part 3 of 4 in our Wizardly Wisdom series.
In many fantasy TTRPGs, enchantment spells are often used to influence others, but here’s a mass suggestion: what if these spells could bolster your own confidence and self-esteem?
Let’s face it - there’s no shortage of books out there showing us how to elevate our own profile and influence others. And there are still more self-help books to help us bolster us when we are feeling at our lowest.
Yet for many of us, the team at Coaches & Dragons included, finding the balance between overconfident ego and modest to a fault is tough to navigate. And there are a lot of personal affirmations that are really challenging to hear - largely because they acknowledge feelings of doubt, inadequacy, and fear that we’ve been experiencing and haven’t dealt with yet.
If you’re feeling stuck in your own thinking, crafting your own personal enchantment spell can be the ladder to help you climb out.
So what’s in an enchantment spell like this? Here’s a template you can follow and make your own (as always, we love homebrew):
Verbal component: Start with a phrase that reflects who you want to become or something about yourself that you want to acknowledge or celebrate.
Somatic component: Find a gesture or pose that aligns with your phrase. For example, if your phrase is “I am a confident public speaker”, stand as if you are at a podium or in a power pose.
Material component: Find an object or image that reminds you of your phrase. This could be something you hold or look at while you say the phrase or have it nearby as a reminder. Jewelry makes for a great component too.
When you’re thinking of your phrase or “verbal component,” take some time to reflect on what that phrase means to you. If it was true, what would that mean? What actions would you take? How would others interact with you?
The goal of these enchantment spells and affirmations is not to make you someone who you are not, but to summon forth a part of who you naturally are. You don’t need to fit a mold or someone else’s expectations of who you should be.
You are enough just as you are.
These affirmations are intended to amplify all of the parts of you that you want to acknowledge and celebrate and enable you to do what you want to do. This is the starting point of an internal validation process, where you can start to become more in touch with yourself, your needs, and your desires as part of your personal reflection practice.
Best of all, self-affirmations are low-investment, high impact, and customizable. No special tools or programs necessary. One-sentence DIY.
And it will feel uncomfortable when you first start - but stick with it. In time, you’ll find your groove and your sweet spot and that’s where the learning and growth happens.
So the next time you’re looking around for how to influence the world around you, take a moment and look inward: perhaps a self-enchantment spell is all you need.
Charmed, I'm sure!
Sincerely,
Autumn & Jerod