- "I cannot control how others act; I can only control how I react to others." - This one has been especially important lately, and I think is incredibly valuable to anyone who ever has to deal with difficult people. I try to remind myself of this every day, to avoid that feeling of anxiousness combined with loathing you (or at least I) get when you see someone getting what you don't think they deserve, or when you are treated unfairly, or when something happens to really make you mad. I think it's about rising above it, remembering that you can only control yourself and your own actions, and that just has to be enough. Take a deep breath, and remind yourself that there is more to life, and that you don't need to waste precious moments being angry at something that is out of your control.
- "Do it yourself, because no one will do it for you." - I got this exact wording this morning from The Simple Dollar, but it's something I have really been trying to remind myself of lately. Nobody is going to hold your hand and offer you opportunities. I have been very fortunate in the past in that I have nearly always gone out for a job and gotten it; I have not tried and failed very often. However, I am at a point in my life now where I am having to put myself out there more - the stakes are higher, I am more invested, and I want more out of my life than just sitting back and taking the easy road (because let's be honest, it's easy not to fail when you stay complacent). So, I'm making a promise to myself to get out there and do things for myself. Go for what I want without questioning myself.
- "Chill the F*** out!" - Along the same lines as #1, I tell this to myself (and others) when I am (or they are) getting worked up about something; usually this thing is out of my/their hands. I am a very emotional person, always have been, but I think this has really been helping me to stay calm, or at least come down off of a crazy-emotional-whine-session. If I'm feeling overwhelmed, I take a deep breath and try to remind myself of the bigger picture. Yeah, I'm upset/angry/worked up right now, but maybe I don't need to be. Get the frustration out, and then breathe. Don't let it linger; it's not healthy.
Anyway, those are the three things I'm trying to remember to tell myself these days. Very Zen. Most of the time.
Oh, I so get this. Great mantras, and here's to remembering them (both of us).
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog and am enjoying it...
ReplyDeleteOne of my mantra's seems kind of lame, but it makes me smile too. It's from "Finding Nemo". I tell myself, just keep swimming, just keep swimming.
I like these a lot, Kim. I think it's important to have a few recurring motivational tools that you can remember and access easily. A couple I often forget and then am forced to remember are "I can't learn unless I make mistakes" and "Everyone has their own agenda." Which also means "Everybody is always paying the most attention to themselves."
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