“I Invite” — The Tale of My Neurodiverse Sankalpa

“I am strong. I am healthy. I am peaceful.” Even “I am.” 

I’ve recommended such sankalpas. I’ve recited them myself. What I could never do, though, was get myself to believe them enough for them to have much effect. Instead of soothing my nerves, they clanged against the cognitive dissonance chord inside my head and fell flat on my soul’s ears. 

However, like I’ve so often had to do in a world that feels more alien to me with each passing day, I found a way to adapt and overcome. My method works perfectly—for me, anyway. I share it here in hopes it can help you, too. 

What Is a Sankalpa? 

If you practice yoga nidra, you know that a sankalpa is similar to an intention — but it is much more. It’s an affirmation of your truth, and a solemn vow to live in alignment with it. That’s why so many traditional yoga practitioners urge you to make it a short, affirmative, present-tense statement, such as, “I am enough,” or “I radiate loving-kindness.” 

The idea is that speaking these words, even silently, within your own heart, creates your reality. While I can see this connection and the wisdom behind this idea, my brain can’t quite get behind it. Blame the “voices of my introjects,” my autistic brain, or both. Heck, call me lazy and oppositional if you want; I’ve heard that before. Whatever the cause, a part of my brain always chimes in, “Bulls***. Positive thinking is not enough. Change takes action. It takes real work, dedication, not affirmation.” 

Yet at the same time, I truly do see the power in positive thinking. After all, many of the physical things we interact with every day, like computers, were once nothing more than ideas. You have to start somewhere. One thing lived experience has taught me for certain is that once a person makes up their mind that a thing cannot be, it will not be. If the power of denial is that strong, belief must be at least equivalent in force or human-made things would not exist. 

A Sankalpa That Rings True to My Heart 

The thing is, though, while I recognize the power of positive thinking at a cognitive level, it doesn’t hit me in the heart. Maybe that organ was damaged too badly when I was too young—I don’t know (that theory would explain a lot)—but it’s probably just part of the overall, unseen developmental deficits that plague multiple aspects of my health. 

As such, I just can’t with “I am powerful.” I don’t feel powerful. The truth is, I feel powerless. I feel largely helpless. That’s one of the biggest reasons I talk to my mat in the first place. 

However, there have been times when I have felt powerful. They’ve been few and far between, but they have happened often enough that I’m convinced I can feel powerful. I just don’t at the moment. 

That’s how what I think of as “my neurodiverse sankalpa” was born. 

I Invite…

I can’t bring myself to utter, “I am powerful,” even silently to myself, when it doesn’t feel true. One of the most frustrating aspects of my lived experience has been telling the literal, honest truth—and having people disbelieve me, just because I don’t behave quite like they expect. 

Now that I’ve finally been able to access mental health services, get diagnosed, and have regular sessions with a trusted therapist, I better understand why others have so often regarded me with skepticism. However, that cognitive recognition hardly stops my brain from serving up a hearty dose of “yeah, right,” after every “I embody loving-kindness.” The echoes of doubt are just too strong in me.

However, I can fully, authentically, honestly, and literally invite the emotion I want to experience to enter my reality. That’s it. No nonsense, no mystical “speak abracadabra or open sesame and, bam, you’re The Rock and ready to take on the world.” Just an invitation. I don’t even know if I’ll get an RSVP. 

But I can open myself to that experience. I can send out that invite. 

My sankalpas these days all begin with, “I invite…” and end with the spirit of whatever I want more of. Authenticity. Inner strength. A sense of serenity. The energy of hope. That’s what I want to connect with when I talk to my mat.

And honestly? Whispering, “I invite a sense of strength” makes me feel a lot stronger than reciting “I am powerful” a million times over. Because it rings true to my heart. 

I believe in the invitation. The reality? Not so much. Not yet. Maybe not even ever. And that’s okay. 

I have a sankalpa that works for me.

A Sankalpa That Truly Speaks to Your Heart and Mind 

Perhaps the reason I’ve always loved yoga so much, even before it became my pathway to sobriety, is because it isn’t simply a physical exercise. It’s as much mental, emotional and spiritual. In fact, only one of yoga’s eight limbs deals with physical asanas. 

The word “yoga” itself also famously means “union.” One such sacred connection is meeting you where you are. It’s why I always encourage modifications that work for you when performing physical poses. It’s also why I recommend a sankalpa that works for you, even if it breaks the conventional “rules.” 

I cognitively understand the standard advice about setting a sankalpa. However, if that advice is preventing my heart and soul from forming sacred connections on the mat, then it’s time to update that life tip, make it bespoke. Recommending something that doesn’t work just doesn’t jibe with “I invite greater authenticity into my life.” 

I can’t say, “I am powerful” without feeling as if I am gaslighting myself. It makes my meditation end before it even begins. 

However, I can say, “I invite a spirit of inner strength to fill me” and mean it with full sincerity. That’s genuine. That’s authentic. That’s powerful. 

References: 

[1] “What Is Sankalpa? Understand Its Power and How to Use It.” Art of Living. January 6, 2026. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from: https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/blog/spirituality/what-is-sankalpa-yogic-intention

[2] “How Introjection Shapes Modern Identity and Self-Doubt.” Liminal Therapy. October 22, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from: https://liminaltherapy.co.uk/how-introjection-shapes-modern-identity-and-self-doubt/

[3] “Going Beyond the Asanas: The Eight Limbs of Yoga Explained.” Omstars. April 10, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from: https://omstars.com/blog/practice/going-beyond-the-asanas-the-eight-limbs-of-yoga-explained/