Top Ten Mantras For My Life Right Now

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! (actually on Tuesday…score!)

Lately I've been thinking more and more about what I want my daily life to look like and the person I really want to be. I sometimes feel as if I get so caught up in just getting things done, that I'm not really living my life. It's so easy to do, you know. It's such a slippery slope. You're being a productive citizen. You're taking care of kids and a house and work. You're busy. Then you can wake up one day and wonder where the time went. And wonder who you are.

As much as we don't know who we are yet as teenagers, I feel like so many of us are closer to our authentic selves then than we are in midlife. Maybe that's because most of us have the luxury as teenagers to be entirely self-focused. And we don't feel the heavy weight of responsibilities or have the laundry list of to do's.

This then gets me to wondering if my life today (the life that has me rushing out the door each day, driving all over town, hurrying my kids along, "running" to the store, and checking things off my list) really reflects my values and that "authentic self". Just the other night my husband and I were talking about how fast our kids are growing up and how we don't want to miss it because we have stuff to do. We know these are the best years of our life and we don't want to miss them.

We talked about actually writing down our mission, vision and values for our family, just like we've done so many times before for the businesses we've worked on. Then figure out how to make our daily family life better reflect that. But how do you still get the stuff done that needs to get done (like laundry and grocery shopping and birthday present shopping and school and cooking dinner)? I don't have the answer yet. But I'm working on figuring all of this out for myself. And while I'm doing that, I've find one tool that helps me a lot. Mantras. And, especially, mantras with touchstones that help me remember those mantras throughout the day.

And that's what today's top ten list is all about. A mantra is a sacred utterance. A truism. An instrument of the mind. A prayer just for you. For me, it's a way to remind myself, amidst the craziness, what is really important to me. So I've captured here ten of the mantras that help me in my life right now. I have also found that having touchstones for these mantras-- physical reminders of them-- helps me, in the moment, remember what is important.

I have a necklace that simply says Writer to remind me that is what I am. And I have bracelets that say only love today, to remind me that that is what I want to give out to the world; and live hands free, to remind me that I don't want my kids' memories of their childhood to be of me with an iPhone in my face; and If you want to be a writer, write. (see photo below) These are things I look at-- maybe when I'm getting frustrated and am about to yell at my child-- and remember, Nope, I'm not going to yell. I'm choosing to live from a place of only love today. Or I hold up my phone to check Facebook and then see my live hands free bracelet…so I put the phone down and focus on my kids instead.

Maybe one or some of these mantras will resonate for you. Or maybe they'll inspire you to find ones that do. Then find or make a touchstone for yourself. Even if you just write it down and hang it on the fridge or put it in your wallet or the car.

So here they are, my top ten mantras for my life right now:

Top Ten Mantras for My Life Right Now

10. If you want to be a writer, write.  …or…  Just do it.
9. I am peace. I am love. I am wisdom. I am happiness.
8. Slow down.  …or… Don't do. Just be.
7. Be here.
6. Just listen.
5. Choose joy.  …or… Enjoy today.
4. Live hands free.
3. Let it go.
2. Only love today.
1. Breathe.


Thank you to some of the folks whose wisdom has added to this list for me this last year, like Ashley at lilblueboo and Rachel at handsfreemama and Disney's Frozen :-). For more inspirational mantras, thoughts and quotes, check out my Pinterest board, Yeah, that's about right, with some of my favorites. You can find it here: Amy Lorbach on Pinterest: Yeah that's about right. And, if you're looking for a little more inspiration to make some changes in your life, listen to this song by India Aire: India Aire- Break the Shell.

Then, when in doubt, (when you really need a pick-me-up) watch this and set your piggies free: Sesame Street Set Your Piggies Free. Just because it will make you feel better (and because walking barefoot in the cool, green grass is both very grounding and very freeing).

Until next time, be inspired.

Namaste.


P.S. Mantra number 9 is great for deep breathing exercises. Breath in a two count on "I am peace. I am love." and breathe out a two count on "I am wisdom. I am happiness."

P.P.S. You can find the leather live hands free and only love today bracelets here: http://shop.handsfreemama.com. And the writer necklace and bracelet both came from etsy shops…etsy is a great place to find--or have specially made--your own touchstones.