Quieting Your Mind

Do you have a mantra that keeps you going in your life?  When I was learning to swim to compete in my first Danskin triathlon, I was really, I mean really afraid of the open water. I was so fearful, in fact, I would dream of drowning every night after I’d had a swim lesson. A mere two weeks before the event, I was telling myself to relax (well, imagine just how much my head was screaming about things I should or shouldn’t be doing). I needed to calm down and get through it. One of the things that my tri-coach said to me was to toughen up and get out there. Our head voices can be our own worst enemies, and we need to overcome that negative voice.

How did I do it? How did I get through my first half-mile swim in the big lake full of millefeuille?  I started to repeat my mantra. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming… (Think: Dori from Finding Nemo).  IT WORKED! Okay, so if you read my wiki definition of Mantra below, it’s not so enlightening and doesn’t appear to be a spiritually transforming mantra. But it worked for me and was enough to transform me from a non-swimmer into a swimmer.

So now I’m telling you, at that very moment when you feel you are overwhelmed in your life, at home, in the office, before, during and after a big presentation, find your mantra and repeat it to get you through the moment. Quiet your mind, the negative voice saying you can’t or you shouldn’t or you aren’t good enough or you are the imposter. Fill your mind with YOUR mantra, one to five words, that is short and sweet and easily remembered.  Here are some catalysts to create your own:

A Favorite Song (i.e Don’t Stop Believin’ or Keep on Keepin’ on)

A Favorite Quote (be the change you wish to see)

A Poem or a Line from a book you’ve read (2 men looked out from prison bars, one saw mud and the other saw stars).

Tip: Find your sanctuary by sitting alone for up to five minutes (door closed if possible) at home or in the office to find those words that can guide you to relax or motivate you to deliver on a promise. Remember to keep it positive. We want you to be inspired, not fearful.

A mantra (Tib.སྔགས་ ngak; Wyl. sngags) [1] is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of “creating transformation” (cf. spiritual transformation).[2] Its use and type varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra.[3]

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