As I am, where I am, with what I know now – I am enough.
So after many weeks of looking at articles, videos, tutorials and books on the internet, I’m at a point now where I think “Urgh, it’s all the same stuff!”. Same Parrot, Different Feathers. Which is why I’ve chosen today’s Monday Mantra as “I am enough”.
Sometimes, you get to a point where you know enough to begin. Sometimes, you get to a point where you’re done trying to be more than who you are (for all the wrong reasons). And sometimes, it’s okay to be comfortable and enjoy where you’re at for a while before starting on your next big transformation.
So, today, I want you think about all the things that make you enough for right here, right now. In what ways are you enough (or more than enough):
at work?
at home?
as a runner, athlete, walker?
as a mum, dad, son, daughter, brother or sister?
And now the most important one:
In what ways are you enough (or more than enough) for you? not for your mum, dad, boss, partner, children or pets – but for you?
I am enough. As always, download the image and save to your phone or desk top. print for your workstation or notice board and when you see it, say it.
I chose this mantra today because I have come to some personal awarenesses over the last week that centre around positivity.
I generally believe myself to be a positive, uplifting kind of person. I’m always looking at the bright side of situations, of people, of challenges. That is, except when it comes to my self.
As a health practitioner, I am able to help people see the positive side of many situations and able to guide them into a place of contentment with where they’re at. This is clearly a skill I have taken for granted because I have forgotten to use it with myself.
I was desperate for a Kinesiology balance last week. I had spent all week drawing up a mind map of a pattern I had become aware of. Why was this a pattern? What else is it infused into in my life? Where did it all begin? What else is tied into this pattern? Why? Why? What if? What if? What if? and the list went on and on.
Without realising it, I had got myself into a less than positive state of mind. I was trying too hard to solve the puzzle.
My goal for the session was about allowing myself to persevere. The session was great and I left feeling much clearer and calmer and content with where I was at.
I had a chat to my boyfriend the next day about my initial pattern of not taking responsibility which fed into a feeling of not being good enough, which fed into a feeling of a lack of security which circled around back into responsibility again. It was a good, open chat about where I was at mentally and emotionally. The next day was when the next piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
He asked me about my running. I had been going well until last week, when I withdrew from running and was walking instead. It was too hot last week and my ankle was sore so I was being careful not to aggravate it. “What about your brace?” he asked. Well, I need to stretch it and I can’t stretch it with the brace on it. was my reply. THEN he asked me about perseverance. “How does that fit in with your running and your excuses?”. My initial reaction was to say, “Well, I’m doing the right thing and making sure I don’t set myself back with injury….. blah blah…”. That’s the way I always respond (and by always, I mean ALWAYS). That’s when it dawned on me. All this time my excuses weren’t reasons, they were me throwing in the towel, not persevering. AND then I was getting defensive and looking at all the “what if this goes wrong?”, “What of that goes wrong?”. I was looking at all the negatives, not the positives – me, a Kinesiologist be harsh on myself?!! Time for that to change.
So, here we are at choosing to see life as infused with positivity.
As always, save the image to your desktop, phone, print it out etc. When you see it, say it. And if you like it or think that someone you know could benefit from this mantra, share it.
Choose to see the positives – it can be life changing.
Affirmations are by no means a new thing. Affirmations in some form or other have been around for centuries in the form of Affirmations, Mantras and Goals.
There can sometimes be a little confusion around the difference between these three elements.
Affirmations are defined as “a declaration that something is true” Using an affirmation is a way of telling your body “this is already a fact” and using it repeatedly can begin to shift your beliefs in agreement with the affirmation – a way of affirming to yourself and the world a new pattern of thought.
Mantra’s are defined as “a sacred word or formula repeated as an incantation”. That said, a mantra can be more than one word. Something you repeat to yourself as a reminder to yourself of who you are, what you want to be or how you want to feel.
Goals are defined as “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed”. Goals are a great way to get you to take action towards achieving your affirmation or mantra.
These three methods are all a way of creating change in your life on both the conscious and subconscious levels. So why do these work so well?
Your body and mind take your words as gospel. They do not understand what a turn of phrase is, what lyrics are or what sarcasm is. Your body can take on what you say very literally. This is partly why affirmations, mantras and goals, when repeated often are so effective.
Many highly successful people swear by looking at and speaking their goal, mantra or affirmation many times per day and accredit this technique to their success.
So, find an affirmation, mantra or goal that you like. Write in on a post-it note (or five) and place them in strategic places around the house or your office. When you see it, say it. I also make myself an electronic version of it (take a photo of your post-it note for example) and set it as your desktop image or screen saver for your phone – see the Monday Mantra segment for some prearranged iPhone mantras you can download. Again, when you see it, say it to yourself. The more often you repeat it, the more likely it is to reprogram your way of thinking and naturally draw you closer to achieving your desired outcome.
Here’s three of my (current) favourite ones you might like to try:
I deserve success
I am passionate, healthy and energetic
I am a money magnet
Find an affirmation that resonates with you and that reflects a change that you’re trying to create in your life. Make it visible and repeat often. If you’re still not getting results, there may be some hidden belief patterns that aren’t congruent with your affirmation. If this is the case, it’s great to seek help in identifying what that in-congruency might be, As soon as that block is released – you’re likely to see results very quickly.
Sometimes, one of the bravest things we can do is to look at what’s really holding us back.
Her are some questions to get you thinking about what might be holding you back from achieving your goals:
If you already had what you’re aiming for, if you already achieved that goal you set, what happens next?
What’s the worst thing about achieving that goal?
What are all the consequences that might happen as a result of achieving your goal?
What is the scariest thing about aiming for your goal?
What is the scariest thing about achieving your goal?
What are all the “What if’s” around this goal?
(for example: What if I fail, What if I don’t achieve the results I’m looking for?, what if people think I’m crazy for even trying? What if my partner gives me an ultimatum – “me or your dream”? etc.)
Once you think you’ve come to the end of the list, go back and ask yourself these questions again. There’s always more there than in the first round of questioning.
These all take courage to look at. But once you know what all these what if’s are, what all the results may or may not be, it gives you the opportunity to look at them and to work through each of them. Knowing exactly what thought patterns you are dealing with is key to change.
The same works for business. Look at the patterns of behaviour that are holding the team or business back from achieving their goals. You might be very surprised to find a collective fear in there some where.
You’re brave enough to look at what’s holding you back, then be brave enough to go after your goals anyway!
Remember – download and save to your phone home screen. Every time you unlock your screen, repeat the mantra to yourself. I Am Brave Enough!
Be brave enough to look at what’s really holding you back.
Here’s a great mantra. This is one I am personally using at the moment. I came to a big awareness last week about responsibility. Long story short, turns out, my current pattern of not taking responsibility stems from a feeling of not feeling “enough” of something. Good enough, Brave enough, smart enough and the list goes on.
It’s a big awareness because this, I have since realised is the under current of almost every situation across work, family, relationships (especially with myself) and even money and spirituality.
Enter the Monday Mantra Enough Series. Week one is all about feeling good enough. Good enough to get that new job, good enough to put yourself out there, good enough to achieve your goals, good enough to go after your goals, good enough to be the best in your field and the list goes on.
Tell me what you’re focussing on being “good enough” for in the comments below and remember to save the image to your phone and repeat the mantra as you open unlock your phone and when you see the mantra on your home screen.
I love mantra’s. They can be such a great catalyst for change.
Because I love them so much, I thought I’d introduce a regular Monday Mantra each week.
The image below can be saved to your home screen on your mobile so that every time you unlock your phone, you see it. The idea is that the more you see the mantra, the more you say the mantra, the more you believe the mantra. It’s like tricking your body into believing it’s true and eventually great things begin to happen.
The same process works for goals. Some of the most successful people in the world look at their goals hundred’s of times per day. It’s about making it visible and therefore at the front of mind as well as in the back of the mind (conscious AND subconscious).
TIP: to fast track a mantra or goal’s effectiveness, seek out a reputable Kinesiologist who can help you work through any blocks you may have around achieving the goal or mantra (I do).
DanaAtkin 