What Is Your Mantra?

What is your mantra?

Mantra: /ˈmantrə/ (noun) – a statement or slogan repeated frequently.

The origin of the word mantra is Sanskrit and its literal meaning is “a thought behind speech or action”.

Recently I read quite a few posts about having a personal mantra and then I skimmed  read through quite a bit more.

The concept is to have a 3-4 word mantra.

As a business or personal brand, it is not your mission statement but should sum up your core values.

Many large companies have mantras as well.

A quick google search will turn up many.  T

he ones reiterated in almost every post I read mentioned Google, Apple, and FedEx amongst some of the big names.

I tried to think about how you might sum up these questions.

  • Who am I at my core?
  • What are my values?
  • What is it that represents me staying true?

How I applied the questions.

For example, I knew that one of the things I try to promote is kindness.

I also knew that I find peace in nature.

I knew that I am working to reframe negativity into a positive light.

And that’s when it occurred to me that I’ve had a mantra all along.

I’ve been using it since my very first post.

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Let Your Light Shine.

That is my mantra.

It is the statement that sums up who I am, who I am striving to be, and who I will become.

It helps me reframe how I might react in a situation.

Am I perfect at letting my light shine?

My immediate family would say a definite “no”.

Unfortunately, they are the ones who see me at my worst. I am a work in progressbut I won’t let that dim my light.

See the light in other and treat them as if that's all you see -Dr Wayne Dyer

I share my hardships along with my joys because that is the reality of life.

There are ups and downs along any journey and it is helpful to know that we don’t walk alone.

I hope that I will encourage others to be a shining light.

There is a lot of sadness and injustice in the world and I am just beginning to discover how I might be able to do my part in lessening that.

When I was young, we used to sing this song:

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Hide it under a bush? Oh no. I’m gonna let it shine.

Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world - Desmond Tutu

I have planned to write this post all week.

I was so excited by my discovery that I already had a personal mantra.

Life’s Curveballs.

However, as I sat down this morning to begin, I received a call from my mother that my Great-Aunt Frances has passed away. You may have read the post that I wrote when her sister, my Great-Aunt Wilma, passed away three months ago. I am still processing it and am sure I will have more to say once the feelings move from my soul into my mind and my mind processes it into thoughts and then I am able to process those thoughts into words that can be written down.

The reason I’m sharing it here is that not only is this my present reality, but because she was the last remaining sister of the Van Hoose four (they have half-siblings so this is not to disregard that). My three great-aunts and my grandmother were the pillars of strength on my mother’s side of the family. Even when life threw them curveballs, and it did, they never lost their joy. They embodied and were the ones who taught me the mantra that I now embrace. Because they let their lights shine brightly. And they were beacons in a stormy world. Their laughter could light up a room and often did. Their zest for life was contagious. All who met them walked away with a smile on their face and joy in their soul.

I’m not sure yet how my mantra will continue to play out in my life.

I am spending some time in self-reflection to be sure that I am still on the path that I think is meant for me.

I am listening for the still, small voice that assures me that I am in the world for a purpose.

Even if that purpose isn’t obvious to me.

Living out my mantra.

I am tweaking little parts of my life to continue to reflect that.

One way is through the decluttering I have been doing. I’m doing this in order to achieve my desire to simplify and embrace minimalism a little more.

Another is through educating myself more about how my consumer choices affect the world.

I am also learning how to bite my tongue and smile more when I encounter rudeness.

This is where reframing is really teaching me lessons.

I try to imagine that I don’t know what has happened in this person’s life to make them rude today.

Perhaps they have a sick child at home that they would like to be with but have to be there to make enough money to take them to the doctor.

Does this mean that it’s okay that they are rude?

No.

But when I have lots of stress I don’t tend to be the nicest person either.

Do I accomplish this reframing perfectly?

Of course not.

But even one time more than before can change the world.

As we journey along this road called life, all we can control is how we treat others. Choose kindness and don't let their reaction define you.

I am learning that the choices of others do not get to determine who I am.

I am changing.

And I am learning to live out my mantra.

I am learning how to let my light shine.

Rumi quote "Don't you know yet? It is your light that lights the world.

Your mantra.

This is my example of how I’ve created a personal mantra that I choose to live by.

You can use those same questions:

  • Who am I at my core?
  • What are my values?
  • What is it that represents me staying true?

to create your own personal mantra.

Don’t forget to share your mantras with me in the comments!

Let your light shine!

Amy

22 thoughts on “What Is Your Mantra?

  1. From the book Moonfleet: Ita in vita ut in lusu aleae pessima jactura arte corrigenda est – As in life, so in a game of hazard, skill will make something of the worst of throws. Written on an old backgammon board in the book by John Meade Falkner
    This one has stuck with me since I was introduced to the book in 8th grade 🙂

  2. I’ve integrated many guiding principles over the years that complement one another and have served me well. If I had to pick just one that is a frequent touchstone it would be “Dream, Dare, Do”.

  3. I am sorry for your loss. I pray that your memories bring you comfort in your sorrow. Grief can be crippling and comes in waves. I admire your self-care in processing it.

    The story of your mantra is beautiful!

  4. Letting your light shine is certainly your mantra, and a fine one. Mine is just Breathe. Sometimes along with I’m Okay, sometimes along with I Can Do It.
    Reframing is life for me. I’m trying to teach reframing to my Sassy.
    I, too, practice smiling at rudeness, at least when I’m out in the world. In my personal life, though, I’m much more apt to counteract with questions or to call it as I see it. Ever-building boundaries.
    Sorry to hear another aunt is lost to you.

    1. Thank you Joey.
      I like Just Breathe. 😊. Reframing definitely helps with my peace.
      I don’t offer that same smiling and reframing in my house. 😂. Leave your problems and your attitudes outside the door.
      I once read a story about a man who stopped beside a plant by his front door every day after he returned home from work. When asked what he was doing he said hanging up his work stress before walking through his door to his family.
      Whatever works! 😊

  5. Sorry for your loss. I lost my grandmother in October last year and it’s been really hard. She was everything your aunts were. Everyone who met her said the same, that she was an amazing lady, always jolly and loved dogs, nature and she loved the birds that visited her garden everyday. My grandmother always said through my childhood, ‘Always stay friendly’. Which I strive to do but as you said life can throw some hard times at you.
    I think maybe my mantra is to always forgive and forget and to enjoy everyday for what it is. After all life is really too short. 💖🐾

    1. Thanks you so much. I’m so sorry for the loss of your grandmother. I can understand that it’s hard. I lost my grandmother a few months after I moved from Florida to Virginia in 2013. She held a very important role in my life, teaching me so much about contentment (I still need to put much of it into practice!). I think your mantras are wonderful and very wise!! 🙂

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