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.

Just found it - great image, and great quote.
One heck of a scar though.

'Simply endure, and hold out' (dietrich bonhoeffer) is mine.

If it was easy, they'd all be doing it

I'm probably misquoting dreadfully, but these work for me as I remember them, so I'm not going to google ...

"Every time you try and fail, you fail better"
"Stay away from the open windows" (that's from a John Irving book I think - meaning there are many good reasons to jump out of one, so don't go there)

When life gives you lemons make lemonade.

Obviously meaning. When life gives you something bitter turn it into something sweet.

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

A MN one we use in our house to mean 'it could be worse'
Won't somebody think of the children?!

Don't borrow trouble, the interest rates are too high.

Op you sound like a lovely friend.

This thread has made me think about the Orange advert for some reason. I am who I am because of everyone.
It used to make me go all goosebumpy.

Lovely thread OP, you are a fab friend. Best wishes to everyone on this thread that needs these now.

My brother recently told me the "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time" and it has definitely helped over an awful month.

Plus the "just keep swimming"!

One new thing from The Prophet (Kahlil Gibran) I find comforting:

"The deeper that sorrow carves into you, the more joy you can contain"

I totally get that colouring queen.

I've often said you have to appreciate bad to know what good is when it comes.

We went through a difficult time a few years back but I'd bet my life we are happier for it.

It is better to regret something you have done than something you haven't.

Oft-repeated in my head during my black, self-flagellating periods.

Worse things happen at sea
Life isn't fair
If you didn't laugh, you'd cry
This won't buy the baby new shoes (ie, being miserable about whatever it is)
It's being so cheerful as keeps me going

All from my Nan & my Mum and agree with you Pacific, they may be trite truisms, but actually, they help.

Also, the punk song Big A Little A (Crass originally, but I prefer the version by Jeffrey Lewis) & the verse

"Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're the only you
No one else has got your eyes, can see the things you see
It's up to you to change your life and my life's up to me
The problems that you suffer from are problems that you make
The shit we have to climb through is the shit we choose to take
If you don't like the life you live, change it now it's yours
Nothing has effects if you don't recognise the cause
If the programme's not the one you want, get up, turn off the set
It's only you that can decide what life you're gonna get
If you don't like religion you can be the antichrist
If your tired of politics you can be an anarchist
But no one ever changed the church by pulling down a steeple
And you'll never change the system by bombing number ten
Systems just aren't made of bricks they're mostly made of people
You may send them into hiding, but they'll be back again
If you don't like the rules they make, refuse to play their game
If you don't want to be a number, don't give them your name
If you don't want to be caught out, refuse to hear their question
Silence is a virtue, use it for your own protection
They'll try to make you play their game, refuse to show your face
If you don't want to be beaten down, refuse to join their race
Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're they only you "

You can't polish a turd... but you can sprinkle glitter on it.
Deep, eh?

Loving some of the more profound mantras here.

It's not about getting what you want but wanting what you've got.

Not entirely sure that's a mantra but it makes bloody good sense to me

Get up, get dressed and try. It can't get better if you don't

Blunt but accurate. My gran :)

Life is what happens while you are making other plans (John Lennon)

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new (Albert Einstein)

We're not doctors, nobody's going to die (my old boss - clearly do not apply if you are in fact a doctor )

"Man (?woman) plans, God laughs" - Jewish proverb

I am not sure why it makes me feel better at times - maybe because it gives 'permission' to put responsibility on a higher power?

I enjoyed this thread and wrote a few new ones down. I liked the "kick ass" ones as well as the more philosophically minded.

I came across this practice a while ago. and was reminded of it today. I find it nice to do at the end of the day. Often no matter how bad things are, we have something to be grateful for. Sometimes in the difficulties and miseries and endless bureaucracies of life (or barrels of shit as someone so pithily described it) we often forget the good things and I think it can be a nice reminder.

"Think of 3 good things every day

1. Three positive things that happened that day. It can be anything.
2. Write them down on a pad or a place where they can be stored.
3. Reflect on each thing, and why they happened. This is an important part. Did you get that good result as a reward for your excellent work? Was that trip fun and you feel lucky to be able to go? The reasons and details are personal and need only make sense to you".

p.s. For me its not a pollyannaish exercise, I can do this in v. dark times too ...

x

Even if the only thing I can think of is a decent cup of coffee I made(today!) that is fine with me :-).

Sometimes there's nothing better than a nice brew Sparky