5 Mantras For When You Feel Stress
Winter can come with some unwanted side effects. After the holidays wind down it can be hard to relax into your old schedule. When the family goes back home and you have all of February ahead of you stress can set in. Mantras can help you to see the light in every day.
Mantras are repetitive words or phrases to focus on that can turn your stress reactions down during the day. Some use them for meditation practices but I like to focus on them during my normal routine whenever I feel my stress response creeping up on me. They are great because you can say them in your head anywhere, out loud in front of a mirror, when you wake up in bed, literally anywhere. Here are 5 mantras that I have found to be the most effective for me! Feel free to experiment with what works best for you.
1) “TODAY I HAVE DONE REALLY WELL. I DO NOT NEED TO BE PERFECT.”
This one always calms me down. This mantra focuses on bringing you into a state of calm by pointing out that everything doesn't need to be done at this moment. This is perfect for the chronic worrier. Just because you have a lot of tasks on your plate, doesn't mean that you need to feel overwhelmed to be productive. You are enough. You have done enough today. Breathe.
Click here for a great guide to living more mindfully and joyfully.
© Nicodemo Quaglia
2) “STRESS IS NOT MY FRIEND, I AM CAPABLE OF ENJOYING SMALL JOYS.”
Sometimes it feels like if we remain stressed we are doing our best job. Society makes it seem like in order to be a success you must always be super busy. It’s not true! You can be a great boss, mom, or friend without being a micromanager. As you go through your day, notice where your stress response peaks. Is it worth it? Most likely not. Focus on this mantra and the little parts of your day that make living worth it. You deserve to slow down and take time for the small joys.
3) “I CHANGE MY THOUGHTS, I CHANGE MY WORLD.”
This one is simple, but it packs a punch. This is one of the deepest truths you can ever find out for yourself. If you are positive in your life, good things will come to you. Being negative or dwelling on stress can hurt your mental and physical health. Once you have a grasp of your own thoughts you can start to change the world with your positivity.
4) “KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND YOUR HEART OPEN.”
I find that this mantra is particularly good for when you are going through difficult times. In the midsts of tragedy or loss it is hard to see the light. By repeating this phrase you are opening your heart back up to love, even if it feels like you never will again. I also like to pair this mantra with deep breathing and meditation for best results.
5) “I AM FULLY AND TRULY MYSELF TODAY.”
Sometimes it can be hard to be our true selves out in the world. We put on different faces for different people in our lives. It is good to remind yourself that you are fine the way you are. You don’t need to change yourself to make people like or respect you, you are already worthy.