Positive Mantra, Positive Life

[greatdane]

When I was at the university, and had students who may have been struggling with something, worry over classes, trying to fit school into their lives, I would share something like this:

Before you go to sleep, if you wake up in the middle of the night worrying, and first thing in the morning, use a mantra or mantras. It can change from week to week, day to day, hour to hour. The important parts are really thinking about it, not just going throught the motions, and repetition. It's like any habit, the more you do it, the more it will become ingrained. It will do two things, it will make positive changes if you use it and follow up with effort and it will keep negative self-talk from coming in. It will replace a negative with a positive.

It is important to make your mantra(s) fit you and your situation, be as short as possible
while making it detailed enough to fit your needs.

Examples:

I am strong and fearless. (repeat slowly, accenting words like strong and fearless and repeat at least a few times)

I will handle any challenge. (you can add a specific challenge here)

My health is improving every day.

I will focus on (whatever you wish to focus on) and succeed.

These are just some examples, but the core is to repeat each one, preferably multiple times. If you have more than one, repeat each one slowly, letting it really sink in, saying it like you believe it, and move on to the next one. It's also important to always make a positive (I WILL do this, not I WON'T do that) and I WILL, not just I CAN.

Positive thoughts, followed up by positive efforts, create positive changes and soon become habit, replacing negative, self-defeating thoughts.

If you try this, really focus, for a few minutes evening and morning (right before we go to sleep and right before we're really wide awake are our most susceptible times for self talk), it will work to better your life.

 

[celticnoodle]

Greatdane, I LOVE your threads!!!

you always think of the most interesting topics to discuss. thank you!

When I was at the university, and had students who may have been struggling with something, worry over classes, trying to fit school into their lives, I would share something like this:

Before you go to sleep, if you wake up in the middle of the night worrying, and first thing in the morning, use a mantra or mantras. It can change from week to week, day to day, hour to hour. The important parts are really thinking about it, not just going throught the motions, and repetition. It's like any habit, the more you do it, the more it will become ingrained. It will do two things, it will make positive changes if you use it and follow up with effort and it will keep negative self-talk from coming in. It will replace a negative with a positive.

this is SOO true! I think if someone dwells too much on the negative, it seems to creep into their lives more and more. Sometimes things in life come that are very difficult to handle. We've all been there. But, if you can finally just grab ahold of yourself and begin to think positively--you can turn your life around and begin to see things changing as a result - into a more positive way. Its happened this way for me at least. in both ways--when I've dwelled on the hardships of life - my life remained murky, but when I finally could climb out of that hole and concentrate on the positive things in life--it turns around. often, positive things like mantras really help you to do this.

I have two people in my life, who both suffered from depression. The one was told to do this--and the mantra he had to recite was very simple and easy. It was just every morning and anytime he looked into the mirror, he was to stand there and recite "(his name) is great, Great, GREAT!" and repeat this over and over, however times he wished to do so. this guy grew into a very successful man with a very successful career. Was it this mantra? who knows. but, his confidence in himself sure grew. I think it did help.

We (hub & I) shared this with another person years later, who also suffered from depression and was having a difficult time. Not to take full responsibility for the change in them--but she did come back to tell us, in addition to other avenues of help, she used this mantra too in the same way as the guy above did. She could really see the change in her happening and she told us it helped her so much. (She was also in counseling and shared this w/her counselor who agreed it was a wonderful exercise to do). This woman still suffers from depression, but is off medicine and no longer in need of a counselor as she is able to recognize the signs and she does a variety of things that help her to overcome this. one she repeats--is the one we shared w/her so many years ago.

It is important to make your mantra(s) fit you and your situation, be as short as possible
while making it detailed enough to fit your needs.

Examples:

I am strong and fearless. (repeat slowly, accenting words like strong and fearless and repeat at least a few times)

I will handle any challenge. (you can add a specific challenge here)

My health is improving every day.

I will focus on (whatever you wish to focus on) and succeed.

These are just some examples, but the core is to repeat each one, preferably multiple times. If you have more than one, repeat each one slowly, letting it really sink in, saying it like you believe it, and move on to the next one. It's also important to always make a positive (I WILL do this, not I WON'T do that) and I WILL, not just I CAN.

Positive thoughts, followed up by positive efforts, create positive changes and soon become habit, replacing negative, self-defeating thoughts.

If you try this, really focus, for a few minutes evening and morning (right before we go to sleep and right before we're really wide awake are our most susceptible times for self talk), it will work to better your life.

So very true and such a great thread to share here. thank you again, GD for sharing this thread. Perhaps other people will share here some of the mantras they use as well?

 

[greatdane]

Oh Thank You CelticNoodle! I hope so too.

I hope people will share some mantras that help get them out of unhelpful, self defeating thoughts and into a more positive frame of mind. It all sounds so simple, but thoughts can creep in that don't help us. If I have any worries on my mind, I just do this and while it may not make any challenges go away, it does make it easier to deal with them and help with my overall frame of mind. I like to add a mudra with it sometimes for a little extra....boost. I appreciate your most kind thoughts, CN ).

 

[danieljuk]

thanks for sharing GreatDane, will definitely give this a go!
breaking the negative thoughts that we all pull ourselves down with, is a real skill! it's better to look at the positive things.

Celticnoodle really agree with you! I think everyone in school should have lessons in confidence and self esteem. Looking in a mirror and saying that you love yourself or something positive is really important!

Anyway Mantras for me start now

 

[greatdane]

That's lovely, Danieljuk!

I think you are so right. What is more important to learn than a positive attitude and self confidence in dealing with life and the world? We get children in the habit of brushing their teeth, and yet no in thinking positive thoughts. Whenever I have a concern, I will just repeat a mantra, slowly, really concentrating on it, over and over for a few minutes. Amazing the effect it can have! If you have never done a mudra (I like the balance mudra, it can be very useful to do with it and it's easy . http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/Mudra-Gallery/
I hope you share how you feel a mantras after you try for awhile!

 

[danieljuk]

I will give Mudra's a go as well!
will update how it goes! I have a habit of just thinking "oh my life is spiralling out of control, its so awful". when actually its not! so will see if changing my viewpoint to a more positive improves things in my life!

Goldie Hawn has a charity helping children's mental health. It teaches positive thinking and mindfulness. she was going to open a school of it in the UK but the press gave her such a hard time over it! unfairly I thought, sort of portrayed her as an air head with children getting meditation lessons before "standard subjects". I don't think it was true. Her charity has been proven to help some kids have better lives. We should all be learning positive techniques

 

[greatdane]

Rubberband Trick

I had a student, Danieljuk, who was a single mother, worked at a hectic job and was trying to finish her degree. She really wanted to do it, but there were times it was so hard and she would think of stopping. I told her to put a rubberband on her wrist and whenever she thought she couldn't do it, whenever she went into negative self talk, to SNAP that rubberband to SNAP her thoughts back to the positive. She told me it worked so well for her and would comment on it when we would have our talks about how she was doing. You're right, it can be so easy to slide into those thoughts and a good SNAP! can help bring people back . That is sad re Goldie Hawn. Why is it often people criticize those who just want to do some good? Those critics sounded like they could have used a dose of what she was proposing! Thank you for sharing that about Goldie Hawn!

 

[Glitterbird]

Examples:

I am strong and fearless. (repeat slowly, accenting words like strong and fearless and repeat at least a few times)

I love this one, I will start today!

 

[Glass Owl]

A few years ago my daughter was really have some difficulties at school with bullies as well as a few nasty staff members. Her self-esteem was very low, she was really negative and grouchy, and she was really hard on herself. One of the things we came up which helped turn her situation around was having her listen to a few CDs that contained positive affirmations. Plus, we came up with one or two affirmation on our way to school and we would recite over and over. They helped tremendously! They put her in a more positive frame of mind, boosted her confidence, helped her reduce her own anxiety and anger, and helped her set goals.

While it has been on the back burner, I have been thinking about matching up a positive affirmation with each Tarot card.

 

[greatdane]

What a wonderful idea, Glass Owl!

I know people meditate using tarot cards, but I hadn't really thought about attaching a positive affirmation to each one. What a great thought! I sm so glad your daughter was helped with positive affirmations