2009 is underway. How are your resolutions going? I decided not to make any this year since I did so poorly last year. But it's funny that failing at my resolutions resulted in my best year ever. So then I started thinking that maybe what I need is a mantra instead of a resolution. Something that I can repeat to myself as a reminder of what sort of year I want 2009 to turn out to be. And then I thought that would be a great assignment for today!
Today's Assignment: Create a Mantra
Back in high school, my father was taking a course on hypnotherapy and needed a test subject. He had a long list of topics for me to choose from, and one jumped out at me. Confidence. I needed to be more confident. It was a very interesting session. I can't say whether or not it completely worked, but I did feel a change. The most interesting part though, was this one section where my father had me repeat a sentence over and over. "I am a beautiful, intelligent, and confident person." The more I said it, the better I felt. In the years following, if I ever found myself in a position where I was feeling painfully shy or my self-esteem was dangerously low, I'd repeat that sentence in my head and it would help me get through it.
After a little while of pondering exactly what I liked best about 2008 and how I'd like to apply that to 2009, I came up with my simple mantra:
Have fun and be nice.
I feel so much happier nowadays for two reasons. The first is that I stopped being lazy and started having fun. In the past, my anti-social side would get the best of me. I would avoid spending time with friends because I was so introverted that contact was sometimes uncomfortable. But this past year, I moved past that. I started saying yes to more things. I started packing my calendar with new events. And I had a wonderful time. So for 2009, I want to be more open to having a great time!
The second reason is pretty obvious, due to this site. I started encouraging myself to be consciously nicer. It's changed my life! Well, I want to push it to the next level. I'm going to be Super Nice Girl this year! And you're all along for the ride!
So go ahead, make your mantra.
Hi, I'm Melissa! Welcome to my blog! I believe that kindness can change the world, so it's my mission to spread the concept of being nice, as simple as that may sound. I hope you'll have a look around!
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17 comments:
Have fun and be nice, indeed!
Last year I stumbled upon a video of a woman explaining Kundalini yoga. In the privacy of my empty apartment, where I was free to chant loudly and without embarrassment, I started practicing the Sut Kriya meditation and I've really grown to love it.
The breathing method, along with the warmth and focus of chanting a mantra for a few minutes feels terrific. 3-5 minutes of this when I'm feeling run down, tired or stuck in a funk seems to help turn things around (even if it's all in my head)
The mantra used in this meditation is "Sut Nam" which means universal truth, truth identified and named.
There's plenty of videos explaining Sut Kriya for anyone who's interested. It really does feel great!
Happy New Year!
Great idea Melissa!!
I think that mine will have to be something like:
Don't worry about being perfect, just be perfect enough.
Oh, I also wanted to let you know I added your cute little badge to my site!
I hope I send lots of links your way ^_^
Since taking a more active and positive role in my own life I have become a much happier person! I also tend toward being painfully introverted but since changing my outlook and nixing the negative inner critic, things just seem to be getting better and better. My mantra for the past 6 months has been "dream.inspire.create." and it has helped so much. I feel like my very long, dark, lonely creative block has been withering away and I am finally being me!
Hmm, I will have to think about this one for a while. I need to learn to relax and stop having so much anxiety about everything. I'll let you know when I figure out my mantra for the year. Of course, now I have something else to add to anxiety list! Just kidding.
For the past few years I've been using famous Philadelphian Pat Croce's mantra "I feel great!" after I read his book of the same name. But I think I just found my new mantra over at ZenHabits.com:
"Happiness is right here, right now."
By the way Melissa, I've been a subscriber here since I saw the article in the Inquirer. You have a very, very nice blog here. You should be proud!
Love and be loved.
Simple and easy.
Melissa this is a great idea! I think that mantras are supposed to be inspiring and peaceful and soothing...yours certainly is that...mine is a bit more on the dramatic side...so hopefully it will work ok for me...I'm going to make a post tonight on this subject. My mantra will be "Aspire to Inspire - before I Expire"...I like it because it reminds me to just do it and to remember that time is short and we need to make the best of it...Thanks for your inspiration of getting me to this point in thinking..it is not my creation..I saw it in a slideshow but it fits me I think....that is what is important..resolutions that fit get mantras that fit...:) Maria
oops, I have a few blogs...I'm posting a link to this on my 'Are you Positive Blog!'shortly: http://areyoupositive.blogspot.com/
Maria..:)
PS: by staying positive you will become less shy and introverted...I believe that...:)
"Treat yourself well."
A person I used to work with who left a huge imprint on my life always said that to me and others. He was always so kind and good natured. I always felt calm in his presence. His mantra stayed with me and I still find myself at times of stress slowing down and saying to myself, "treat yourself well." It's good to remember that we are in control of our happiness when it comes down to it.
This is a great idea!! I'm feeling very much at a crossroads in my life right now... and in my career. I've been struggling a lot with my goals, my path, my dreams... so as I tackle all these big decisions, I think I'll go with:
*design a happy life*
(Hmmm... I may decide to reword that - but for now it's what I'm going to sprinkle on post-its throughout my home!)
i just posted mine: http://paisleywallpaper.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-mantra.html
believe. strive. achieve. balance.
Oooh, I've been using a mantra that I started last year. Although, at the time I didn't realize it was in fact a "mantra." But here it is...
Just Keep Going.
I tell myself this when I get scared about growing, or doing something I'm not used to, or when I feel like giving up on a dream.
I just found your site--and passed it along to all my friends because I LOVE LOVE LOVE what you're doing!
My mantra has long been the theme for my life:
I am a work in progress.
For me, it's perfect because it speaks to the now and it speaks to the future. It speaks to change and it speaks to perfect.
Finally, Finally, Finally! This comment is so late you may not even see this BUT I have found my mantra! Ever since your post I have been thinking, and thinking, and THINKING about what my mantra could be. Well I found it when I stumbled upon this lovely blog,
http://www.orangebeautiful.com/blog/post.php?post_id=923
"Let What you Love Be What you Do" -Rumi
Whoa this spoke to exactly my struggle in 2008 and I'm so glad I've found it and adopted it!!!
Thank soooooooo much for the idea!
Do what you love and love what you do.
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