3 Personal Mantras That Changed My Life
Mantras are personal poems recited by you, for you
They are meant to be worn as a protective shield that empowers us to face the world with a peaceful mind and a happy heart. Mantras help us in rewiring our brain by dropping the stories that limit us. They are wise words that speak to us compassionately as we stroll through the wild gardens of life.
Mantra: “Expectation is not your burden”
Antidote to: Guilt
Expectations come in many forms — sometimes they are unspoken feelings that mirror what others might be expecting of us: to be a “good” son, a “reliable” partner, a “loving” parent, a “model” citizen.
We are all burdened by expectations that force us to act a certain way in hopes of meeting some arbitrary criteria. At some point, expectations may very well clash with the truth of who we really are — so we make a promise we cannot eventually keep in a naive effort to avoid feeling guilt. Ultimately, we make enough promises until we no longer can keep up.
Exhausted and frustrated, we return back to our emotional home of guilt, looking for answers as to why we feel miserable.
Only by accepting that expectations are not our burden to carry, we set ourselves on the right path to attaining a clear conscience. While remaining compassionate and responsible towards others, we should remind ourselves that others choose to have expectations of us — a burden they, not us, should live with.
As long as we act in accordance with our truths and communicate these truths clearly and unapologetically, there will be no guilt that thrives on the expectations of others.
This mantra reminds us that in the empty pursuit of pleasing others, we abandon the non-selfish non-negotiable pursuit of our own truth.
Mantra: “The fire consumes that which is not you”
Antidote to: Fear
In moments where we feel overwhelmed by a challenging situation or uncomfortable emotion, we tend to immediately look for the proverbial fire escape. In the running away from uncomfortable situations (that includes procrastination), we pass a golden opportunity to foster resilience and courage.
The fire that overwhelms us is precisely what will shed our fear-laced skin. This Mantra empowers us to sit with uncomfortable emotions and situations, trusting that it will only burn our none-self ego: that which is fearful and anxious.
On the other side of the fire we meet our courageous, wiser self that has shed its impurities.
Mantra: An unknown Future is not dangerous
Antidote to: Anxiety
We often place tremendous value on the future and what it may bring. During moments of weakness, we develop anxieties towards the unknown in fear of what awaits us. Instead of living the moment and hoping for the best, we become obsessed with seeking answers — literally dying to find a harbor of safety for our future.
Surely this is no way to live. The mystery of the future is an endearing miracle we must embrace through an optimistic lens and an open heart: without this mystery, everything is colorless, monotone, dull. This Mantra is set to remind us that some of the most exciting events that happen for us come at times we least expect.
It is a Mantra that empowers us to embrace the unknown, surrender to mystery, and drop the desire to control the outcomes of life.
