Last week I found out that an online class for which I had registered was being postponed for a few months. I felt the expected gambit of emotions: surprised, disappointed, understanding, wonder for how it would impact my plans, thankful it was still being offered at a later date… you get it. When the time arrived that I would have been in class, the disappointment returned. This time it was carrying a suitcase full of unhelpful self-talk (Sanskrit: svadhyaya.)
“I should be in class right now.”
“I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.”
“Of course mine would be the class that was postponed.”
Wandering thoughts are part of life; they drift in and try to take residence. Through mindfulness, we learn how to send them back to sea. Here are my 5 go-to mantras for keeping perspective when things don’t go as I thought they would.
- Disappointment is part of life. It happens to everyone.
- I give myself permission to feel emotions; I’m human.
- This is a learning opportunity. What can I learn?
- I choose to share what I am learning with others.
- “All things work together for my good” is one of my core beliefs. I choose to see the good in this.
That’s it! The real reason we talk to our self is to encourage our self– to meditate on constructive thoughts instead of ruminate on fruitless thoughts. We bring awareness to our intentions. We remind ourselves of the bigger picture. We extend grace. The next time things don’t go according to plan, consider some positive reinforcement– from yourself.
Identify your core beliefs and write some mantras of your own when you register for a Crosswork yoga class.
