When you’re stuck it’s hard to see just how stuck you are. Usually you finally see it either because you have a breakdown or someone else points out the change they’ve seen in you, or both. Then you feel even worse for a moment. It’s exhausting and daunting because now that you know you’re stuck you’ve got to own pulling yourself out of it.
But fear not. Getting yourself unstuck is not the end of the world. It’s actually quite simple. And you can do it right now.
What I did recently is come up with a new mantra. I want my mantra to focus on one thing that could universally shift my mental state away from negative thinking and towards positive and forward motion.
I used to use this tactic when I was training full time. I would get gold mail box stickers and put my mantra right on my boat rigger. I had two over the course of my career. “Believe it” and “love it.”
Every day I got in my boat and those phrases stared me in the face. They were a single point of focus I could come back to time and time again. And they worked. They took my massively complex emotional and physical energies and distilled them to the essence of what I wanted out of my rowing. I wanted to believe I could be the US Single at the word championships in 2009 and later I wanted to love what I did. And both of those things came true.
My new mantra is “celebrate.” It’s too easy to spiral into thinking everything is wrong. That nothing works. That I’m a failure. I know those things aren’t true but my thought patterns were centering around them to the point where my mantra that I was living was “you’re a failure.”
So I got myself some gold mail box stickers and stuck them to my laptop. So every time I open it to start my day they are staring back at me.
This new mantra created a shift in me immediately. I’ve been acknowledging my wins big and small. Acknowledging my hard work and also the hard work of others. And generally trying to celebrate everything that is good in my life. And there is so much good.
And not surprisingly shifting to this new mantra opened me up to receive the good things have started to happen. Successes are work. Successes at home. More laughter. Less stress. And a better outlook on what’s ahead.
There are many ways to shift your mentality. A mantra is a good place to start.
Mine is to celebrate. What is yours?
This is an awesome and timely post. Since the beginning of the year I have had big changes in my life. Marriage at 54, sold my home, mom was moved into memory care, changed jobs, wife changed jobs and had surgery.
When I am feeling stressed I experience that “I a failure” message also and it is hard to shake. This morning on my bike ride I realized it is all perspective and that my feelings which are attached to thoughts of what I should be based on the worlds point of view are illusions. The truth is I am successful! I have been sober almost 6 years. My family loves me. I am kinder and more aware of others.
I appreciate your honesty and courage in this blog. Keep up the good work that you do.