Morning Mantras

By Hannah Guthman

Goooood Morning—well, not exactly. You can’t quite tell. This past Saturday was not as relaxing as you had hoped, and Sunday, the day you normally dedicate to planning out the week ahead, was filled with a constant frenzy of errand running—the pet store, Target, the market, AND Costco (the checkout line alone took about half an hour to get through…). In other words, you were overwhelmingly busy, but in reality, you feel as if you didn’t get a single thing done.

Now it’s Monday, and you can’t help but worry about having enough time to tackle a weekly work schedule along with accomplishing additional tasks over the next five days.

Unfortunately, some days, we wake up like this—in a state of intense stress caused by the external pressure we feel to be productive.

So this morning, as you sip on some green juice and eat a few bites of eggs, take a moment to review and embrace a few of these mantras—inspirational words and phrases that may allow you prioritize intentions, harness your center, and help you feel a little less scrambled:

 

1. “I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.” – Voltaire

 

2. “Don’t worry, be happy.”

Yes, song lyrics can be mantras too. And although they are simple, they are incredibly powerful. Thank you, Bobby McFerrin, for this musical and spiritual insight. 

 

3. “Worrying about today is borrowing from tomorrow.”

 

4. "This too shall pass.”

 

5. “Be here now.”

Stay mentally and emotionally engaged in the present, and do your best not to dwell on what may lie ahead in the future. Try not to worry about the unknown—it’s like trapping your mind in a dark abyss of space and confusion. Focus on what is happening now.

 

6. “It is what it is…” or “Que sera, sera.”

Sometimes unexpected things happen, and sometimes, shit happens. Regardless, despite our best efforts to remain composed and orderly, we simply cannot control everything. Honestly, most of us can’t even control ourselves around chocolate… so no judgments here, really. Whatever type of situation you find yourself in, do your best to let the negative moments melt away, because you can always wash the sticky mess off of your fingers…

 

7. “Breathe Deeply.”

 

8. “Let it be.”

 

9. “Love your strengths, love your imperfections. Love yourself.”

 

Mantras are defined as instruments of thought, and thankfully, no instructors are needed to teach us how to use them. They are tools that facilitate communication, affirmation, and mindfulness, and can be utilized to harness positive thought at any given time. Write them down, sing them, chant them, or shout them—whatever feels the best in the current moment.

The world is a hectic place, and it’s certainly easy to get disoriented, especially when you internalize the daily stresses of finding your way in it. And where you’re stressing, you are also probably feeling like you are simultaneously losing your mind and your sense of self. Neither of which feel good.

So if you happen to recognize that most of your thoughts are unrecognizable and feel in inherently lost, just remember—YOU are your true north. And if you are still in need of a little extra help, use mantras as reliable compass guides that reconnect your mind with your heart, and help you find your way back home—to yourself.

 

Hannah Guthman is an avid watermelon eater, lover of all things run and sun, and passionate about maintaining a lifestyle fueled by health, wellness, and spoonfuls of cinnamon. She graduated from U.C. San Diego with a B.A. in Communication, and is currently living in Los Angeles.