Meditations, Mantras & Affirmations
You know what they say, what goes up must come down! I’ve been so blessed to experience some of the highest highs this year, but as expected, I’ve also encountered some really low lows… Ah, yes, duality. This blog is called “Merrily Mace” but if I’m being real, the last three weeks have been anything but merry (I’ll save that story for later). It’s a hard place to be in when you’ve been looking for a light at the end of a tunnel and realize the tunnel doesn’t end. But you can choose to stop and set up camp in the darkness, or you can become the light in the tunnel. I’ve been trying my hardest to stay up for those around me and sometimes it can feel like toxic positivity, but I do think it’s important to acknowledge your emotions while maintaining a good attitude. You can be sad and have a good outlook at the same time! I’ve had a lot to think about and reflect on, and while crossing these mental mountains and valleys, I’ve picked up some meditations, mantras and affirmations that are helping me get through this and I want to share them with you:
I am fluid.
Life is fluid, it’s constantly changing. I am fluid, and I am constantly changing. If I am not fluid, I will either get swept up and carried away in a current I can’t control, or I will sink like a rock. When life is going one way and suddenly it shifts, I have to be adaptable enough to shift with it or else the friction will wear me down quickly. I’m always searching for new information, new perspectives, new theories, new philosophies, and I try very very hard to stay open to change. It’s one thing to know that change is expected, but it’s another thing to welcome it. This particular affirmation is great for both good and bad times. For example, let’s say I’m going through a rough moment. “I am fluid” reminds me that I can roll with it, but also that it will change or end- it’s destined to because life is fluid! You just have to float in the water until the storm passes. Let’s say things are steady and have been good for awhile. As someone with anxiety, I might think “oh right, I am fluid” and suddenly be waiting for the other shoe to drop because things are bound to change. Wrong move! “I am fluid” reminds me to acknowledge that things will change and to appreciate the present moment. The good or steady times are the perfect opportunity to do some personal development so that when change does come- because it will- you are mentally, emotionally, and physically stronger than you were before!
As above, so below.
There’s an ancient saying, “as above, so below”, and it can mean so many different things. Usually, it is referred to in the spiritual sense: what you do in the physical world will reflect in the spiritual world, or whatever is within you is also outside of you, and that everything is connected. For example, you believe the sky to be blue therefore it is. Or you believe yourself to be a happy person, therefore you are. The physical world is reflected in your dreams therefore your dreams can shape the physical world. “As above, so below” is a reminder of how much control you actually have over your reality, and also a reminder that everything is connected. It is a really powerful manifestation tool. Consider how the branches on a tree look similar to the roots in the ground, or how the neurons of our brains look so similar to the cosmic webs of the universe. What’s happening on a micro scale is also happening on a macro scale. If you heal yourself, the world will heal. It goes the opposite way as well, so you have to be really conscious of your thoughts and actions.
Attitude is a choice.
Emotions are triggered by the unconscious mind; you can’t control them when they come, and you shouldn’t try to. They are a natural human experience and your emotions are trying to tell you something. But what you can control is your attitude, no matter your current emotions. Your attitude is a conscious choice. Emotions last for a short period of time but an attitude is stable. Having a good attitude is a muscle you have to work and flex every once in awhile for it to grow, it’s a practice and it won’t happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and when you can, make a conscious choice in attitude!
Be a fountain, not a drain.
This one I heard on the It’s Me Tinx podcast and I’ve been obsessed with it since: “be a fountain, not a drain”. Essentially, be an energy giver, not an energy leech. Stand so strong in who you are that your vibe radiates onto other people. Become unshakable. Stay in your lane and focus on what you can do for you and what you can do for others rather than what you can get from others or what others are doing for you. This is another one that I think is a conscious choice, and kind of happens automatically when you have a good attitude. People can feel that good energy and become attracted to you, but be prepared for the leeches to swarm. It doesn’t mean you have to push those energy suckers away, it just means you keep standing strong in who you are (and also set really good boundaries). Be the person that shows up excited for everything rather than dreads it. Be the one to overuse “thank you”. Take the initiative. Be the leader, not the follower. Show up. Do the work. Go the extra mile. Verbally express gratitude. Smile with your teeth. Let your cup spill over with how much love you have for yourself and for others!
Everyone has their ‘something’.
This one isn’t an affirmation, but rather a reminder for patience. I say this to myself and others often, “everyone has their something”. What I mean by this is everyone has at least one thing they struggle with or that they will go through. When it appears someone has the perfect life, remember that everyone has their something and that person may not really have it all together. Have patience with yourself, compassion for others, and stop playing the comparison game! On the flip side, when things are bad for you or for others, remember to have patience- everyone has their something and maybe you or they are dealing with their ‘something’ right now. No one is perfect, not even the most positive, beautiful, hard-working person you know.
How lucky am I?
When I started therapy almost 10 years ago, one of my main focuses was on developing a gratitude practice to combat depression. I struggled with identifying things to be grateful for that felt authentic, and I would always find a way to turn it into something negative. For example, I would say “I’m grateful for my home that keeps me safe and warm” but in my head I would think “but I wish it were bigger or cleaner or prettier”. It was so hard for me to do the standard “I’m grateful for X” prompt. I finally had an AHA! moment when I went to someone’s house to help bake. We had a huge pile of dishes in the sink and I was preparing to hand wash all of them when I thought “how lucky am I to have a dishwasher in my kitchen?”. For whatever reason, phrasing it like that helped me see that that was authentic gratitude, and it opened a huge door for me. Of course I was grateful for things like my home, but it was the generalizing that wasn’t working for me- I needed the specifics. Now I will say things like “wow, I’m so lucky to work in the cubicle that I do because it gets the best light” or “how lucky am I that my dog wants to cuddle with me in the mornings?” or “I’m so lucky that my sisters are also my best friends, not everybody has what we have”. I even use this phrase to manifest!
