Why You Need a Daily Mantra
It is important to care for your body- both what you put on it, or on it. Equally important is what is on your brain, and the story going on inside your head. We all have thoughts we say to ourselves- the internal monologue of thought then a feeling, or a feeling then a thought. The same thing could happen to two people, yet their internal thought process will make the experience and effects on each person completely different (much influenced by our past and the type of story you tell yourself). Every notice how when someone says nice things to you it feels fine, but is usually forgotten quickly and filed away. However, do you notice when someone says or does ONE thing negative in a day, that one thing will outweigh the 5 good things that happened the same day…. Even though I consider myself a positive person who can bounce back from anything, in the past I would have easily fallen into this pattern of fixating on the one problem vs. all the good things happening within a day. When I felt someone was angry with me or saying something critical, or something was not working out as planned, even if the day was otherwise great, that little voice would take over telling me to fix this issue.
When we tend to fixate on what we feel is a hurtful remark/action or a perceived, while shutting out so much of the good said or shown to us, it can take over your reality and cause much more damage than the instance itself. It is like a fixation on being in survival mode (guilty as charged), where we are in a never ending state of fixing, doing, and problem solving. I have had to actively work to catch myself doing this and switch gears.
Each of us has the power to change our thoughts and habits even if it is not easy. It starts off with small daily changes that help change the dial in our heads. Everyone should have phrases they say to themselves to changes the story going on in their heads. If I start down the path of remembering, repeating, and ruminating over what remark I didn’t like, it will create a snowball effect for my feelings and energy for the whole day. My simple way to snap out of it is by having daily mantra that I will say to myself, write down and even say out loud.
Here are phrases that work for me-
“No One is Going to Ruin This Day For Me”-No one should have so much power over my life they can s**t on my sunny day parade.
“ I Will Get Through This”– I have made it through worse things, why should this be any different. I will always be okay. Even when you have no one around to say this to you or lift you up, you can say it to yourself.
“I Can and I Will”- Get yourself up and get going. Everyone has to start somewhere and that somewhere is right the heck now. It does not have to be solved in a day. It does not have to be all or nothing.
“You Got This”– is on my wall so I can see it every single day. Believe in yourself when no one else does. Believe you are capable even when unsure or scared.
Use these phrases if they work for you. If not, find the ones that will help you change the dial in your head to the one that serves you in a positive way. You have got this!