Best Mantras To Keep You Hanging On When Things Are Shit

[PacificDogwood]

I am supporting a RL friend through some shitty times - no real end in sight

She said the exact same thing I recently saw posted by a battle-experienced, wise MNer :
"Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep breathing in and out."

Pace yourself.
Be kind to yourself and look after yourself.
This too shall pass I may have used that one rather a lot in my own head
Que sera, sera.
Let it go.
You cannot change somebody else's behaviour; you can only change your response to it.

I am sure there are many more.

They are all quite trite truisms, but not any less true for all that.

Please add your own - anything at all that kept you hanging on when times were tough and no light at the end of the tunnel was forthcoming.

And I do hope you did come out the other side and don't need your own mantras anymore.

When I'm going through stress or a tough time I chant ,it will be all right in the end ,and if it isn't than it's not yet the end.Hopefully your DFs end of crap times is near.

Oh, that's good - thank you, goldengoose

And thank you for your good wishes.

'Don't let the bastards grind you down', 'I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul' (they are from a book I read when I was younger but can't remember which one but they got me through my teenage years).

'One day at a time'.

'Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I cannot accept and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those I had to kill today because they pissed me off' (bit of humour in that one).

Lovely serenity prayer - love that version

I think sometimes a bit of gallows humour goes a long way to keep the nervous breakdown away...

Found the poem (I've been remembering it wrong all these years). The whole thing is pretty inspirational imo.

"Unconquerable soul" - v apt and moving, thanks.

I think you 'remembered' the spirit of it just fine

Those that matter don't mind, those that mind, don't matter.

Helps you to concentrate on what you need to do to get through, not what others may think about it.

for your friend

Oh thanks, sausageandorangepickle, another good one.

I am tempted to collect ALL of these in a Word document and pass them on. - or not, but they are great.

Maybe a cross-stitch sampler? "Don't let the bastards grind you down"

I find all sorts of Mantras to read, but sometimes there's nothing like "uttering" a whole load of swear words and a - most of all, seeing the funny side to everything and having a good laugh

Like this?

Oh gawd, yes, swearing - v therapeutic.
I think we both may have imploded already had there not been opportunity to swear and rant and moan.

And then carry on...

Keep on keeping on.

You don't know how strong you are until the only choice you have is to be strong.

Don't think - just 'do'.

I have enough food to eat, a safe roof over my head and I have freedom.

"Keep going & breathe" is probably the only one to hold on to hard.

"Only Connect" is my favourite as well, for more emotional stuff.

I'd want you in my corner, when the chips were down, PD.

I always say that there are the friends you can count on the fingers of one hand & your friend must be blessed to have you as one of those.

"Ask yourself, in 2 years time, will this matter anymore?

That's got me through a lot.

Oh and:

Most people are going through some sort of shit so be kind. You can always be kind.

Oh, more! Thank you, all

magi, you are v kind, but there's not a lot I can actually do for her which is quite hard to bear tbh.

In order to see the Stars you first have to step out into darkness

This too shall pass.

You can't always control how you feel but you can always control how how you behave.

PD - I know how hard that is - I'm in the middle of some of that myself, but just being there & willing to listen means a fuck of a lot.

Everyone's fed. No ones dead.

The strongest steel always passes through the hottest fire.
The only thing we ever learn is how to love and to be loved in return (this is going on my gravestone!!!)

Everyone's fed. No ones dead

Oh, that one's going on the cross-stitch sampler too.
V good, unless somebody is actually dead

The only way out is through.

Personal is not the same as important.

It's not raining and you're not on fire.

They can't kill you and eat you. If they can, take some of them with you.

What will remain of us is love.