3 Mantras (reminders) for Tough Times.

I’m about to reset my whiteboard, which isn’t newsworthy in itself. (Except, perhaps, for the fact that it seems to be an annual event.) Before I do, however, there’s something I wrote on there that I feel prompted to share for the benefit of those who are facing particularly difficult times.

In reflecting on 2021, which was probably one of the most challenging years of my adult life, I made a video on three things to help you succeed in spite of the storm. I also have three mantras (or phrases) to share that have been invaluable in grounding me and setting my course right each and every morning.

I don’t usually repeat these phrases more than once in a morning, but they serve as valuable reminders within my morning routine. And I say them everyday.

1. I am a son of God;

2. My spirit sufficeth me;

3. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I’ll elaborate on each in turn.

I am a Son of God

This reminds me of my divine identity, which transcends all other labels and identifying characteristics. It reminds me of who I am at an essential level. It helps me to detach from material possessions and problems. It reminds me that I am loved by my Father in Heaven unconditionally.

(NB. This applies to daughters as well as sons.)

My Spirit Sufficeth Me

This reminds me that I am primarily a spiritual being, not a physical being. It reminds me that I have enough within to face the challenges without. It reminds me to expand my vision of how I see myself and my life. It reminds me that I am a creator, not a competitor. And it reminds me that I have everything I need on my path.

“If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” – William Blake

Sufficient Unto the Day is the Evil Thereof

This reminds me not to worry too much about the future. It reminds me that I will not be given more than I can handle in a given moment while walking my path. And it reminds me that whereas challenges are inevitable, there is a way to overcome them as and when they present themselves. There’s need to be anxious about the innumerable challenges that might present themselves in the future.

[NB. The phrase is found in the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament, Matthew 6:34: Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.]

Something Else from the Whiteboard…

Some of this might seem strange or grandiloquent. Are these phrases exclusive to those of a specific faith or religion? I don’t believe so – I see them as universally applicable, irrespective of faith.

Something else I wrote on my whiteboard touches on three levels of understanding to our relationship with God as son/daughter:

1. I’m a son/daughter of God and He loves me. (This speaks to our worth.)

2. Others (i.e. everyone else) are sons and daughters of God and are equally loved by Him. (This speaks to the worth of others.)

3. Because we’re all sons and daughters of God and He loves us equally (irrespective of religion or faith) we should care for ourselves and each other. (This speaks to our inherent responsibility to care – stewardship through the pursuit and fulfilment of purpose.)

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. – 1 John 4:8

Having typed this out for the purpose of sharing with others (who knows who else may find it useful?), I now feel assured that I can go ahead and reset the whiteboard.

I won’t, however, reset the mantras.