This has been a month of work, rest, travel and quality time with the families and the parents. Even though I’m always grateful for all the good times, there has also been a lot that’s been weighing on my mind, over the past few weeks.
Blogging has been put on hold and life has been very high on the priority list with the parents’ visits. With their delicate health and numerous ailments, it was a pleasant surprise that we were able to manage our 7-day family trip rather smoothly, despite the few initial hiccups. But, this has also been a month of introspection and as always, the word itself brings in more questions than the mind is prepared to answer.
As it happens, some days, we wake up hopeful, and those are the days that I like best because I feel I can take on anything, any blow, any hurt that life throws at me. And then there are the days that just take away all the light out of the soul, and those are the days that I dread because I lose my strength and my will power to stay optimistic and hopeful. Everything seems to pull me down then. Like today.
I know I’m far from perfect and all my failings haunt me – all those things that I need to forget, or overlook…all those things that I need to stop remembering and those that I need to totally wipe out of my mind. I need something to set me free today.
So, here’s a note to the self – to win my positive streak back, to bring back the light and wisdom and let them in, to brighten the inner recesses of my mind and heart. Here’s what I tell myself:
- Be consistent with working towards your goals.
- Remember, this is your journey, your body, and your spirit. Don’t let others dictate it.
- Let trust, faith and instinct guide you, instead of letting worry in.
- Nobody is worth stressing over, so walk past the hurt and move on.
- Remember you’re far more capable than you think.
- Make yourself a priority. That’s your longest commitment anyway.
- Don’t measure your progress, using someone else’s ruler.
- Quit taking medicines for other people’s illnesses.
- You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.
- Quit waiting for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden.
- No matter how often you hear it, believe that you’re enough.
- You are a work-in-progress, remember.
- Be real rather than perfect.
- Sometimes, you have to stop caring too much.
- More than anything, be kind to yourself. Ask yourself, if not now, when?
Nothing new about these mantras. But what makes them relevant to me is how shifting priorities demand the order be revised from time to time. I don’t know about you, but I, for one, depend on these reminders to wake me up from my stupor, and bring back the focus on what is relevant at the time.
Going through the list, did you realize why we need to stop being too hard on ourselves and learn to forgive? Some days, believe it or not, that’s all we need to do to be able to smile and bring our mojo back.
What are your mantras? If you were to suggest me just ONE more thing to add to the above list, what would it be?
Linking this post to #microblogmondays, hosted by Melissa, and #mg hosted by Mackenzie Glanville and #writingwednesdays hosted by Write Tribe
Nice post 🙂 I agree that while some mantras aren’t new, it’s always nice to hear /read them when you’re in a funk.
Here are a few I use to keep me going through the rough patches:
– Embrace uncertainty. It’s in experimentation that we find our true selves.
– ‘Let the beauty of what you love be what you do’ – Rumi
– Don’t fear failure. Fear being in the same place next year as you are today.
Let me know if you’d like to borrow one 🙂
Thank you very much Shannon! Glad to see you stop by at the blog and share your thoughts. I’m always in need of wise words…never enough to get by in this journey called life!
Quit taking medicines for other people’s illness…….. Is a very apt mantra. Thanks you so much.
Love yourself….. Should be another mantra that every woman should remember and implement.
Thank you, Kalpana. Glad you feel so too. Loving oneself is equally important. I totally buy into that. Not always easy for those who are self-critical like me, but essential nonetheless!
Very thought provoking post, Esha. Sometimes we do allow ourselves to get overwhelmed by things happening all around us. Also, we often fail to measure up to our own expectations and that pulls us down too. My mantra is: do my best but don’t beat myself up if things don’t go as expected. Cheers.
So glad you think so Adite. I like your concept of letting go when things don’t work to our advantage. Happens for me a lot of the times. Cheers for stopping by at the blog. 🙂
Thats a good read. I have been in similar situation in the past two months. In fact, I feel like I am becoming one of those vamps in TV serials. But, there is only so much I can care for or take. Rest, I am willing to discard, if only they will let me go.
I totally understand that, Lata. I hope things get better for you and you no longer identify with a “vamp” :D.
Jokes apart, there are times when we need to pause and assess just how much we ought to take in, in any given sutuation. I’m there and I know I need to do that too.
Thanks for reminding us these mantras…in the humdrum of life we often forget these mantras..
That we do, Tina. I’m at the moment caught between the proverbial ‘Scylla and Charybdes’ and find that there is just so much that I can take in. These mantras are my life itself…
Love and hugs Di
Hugs right back to you too, dear 🙂
Such important reminders for life, Esha! I loved when you said be real and not perfect. Such a thoughtful one that is.
I’ve a similar mantra – everything happens for a reason so accept the change and move on.
Parul, life teaches us so many lessons even during adversities. And yet, sometimes we forget what we’ve been through just because things are better. I keep reminders always handy because you never know when you might need them. I love your mantra. It does help to accept change and move on, and not harp on the negativity.
Beautiful mantras. I needed to read them. One thing I always tell myself when I feel low is “Everything is going to be alright “. It isn’t much but somehow it calms me down. The mantras you shared must be framed and hung to be read everyday, Esha. 😀
Love your mantra Vinitha. It gives me so much peace to read this line and feel everything will fall in place some day. I so hope it does. At the moment my mind is really tired and weary with worry and stress. Thanks for appreciating these little nuggets of wisdom. I depend on them every single day, trust me!
I love the mantras. Thanks for reminding me to walk the past and don’t have to attend arguments as well as taking medicines for others’ illnesses. Hope your dad doing well.
Stay blessed Esha.
Thanks, Vishal. Glad to know these mantras made sense to you too. 🙂
Dad is back in hospital again this week after that episode last September. He was very critically ill but is now slowly recovering.
Thank you so much for your kind words and wishes. They mean a lot to me.
A pleasure Esha. Hope uncle is better now and my wishes with you during such trying times.
Great post, this gives me hope
Thanks for stopping by, Neha. Hope to see you at Soul Talk again. 🙂
This is GOLD. Though I try to follow them but still saving the pointers for recap.
So glad to know you think these make sense to you as well. Yes, always a good idea to keep some of these handy. That’s what I do often. Do stop by, again, Upasna. 🙂
A great post filled with positivity to read on a Monday morning. I liked all the mantras which you shared especially – You are a work-in-progress, remember.
Thanks Deepa. Glad the mantras made sense to you. Yes, that one you mention makes me feel I’m only human. I stop focusing on being perfect and superwoman, and instead try to remain real, which always works.