Mama Mantras

It has been awhile since I have posted a Mama Mantra, but I was reminded of them while reading Peggy O'Mara's editorial A Quiet Place, titled: Killer Fear in the Nov-Dec 09 issue of Mothering Magazine.

Peggy discussed the negative impacts that fear, stress, and worry can have on our bodies and minds. She goes in to great physiological detail about hormonal and structural changes that occur when we are repeatedly exposed to fear and lists several ways to decrease our fear reactions. I would like to list them here because, from a counselor's perspective, I think they are quite helpful, but please go to the essay and read Peggy's descriptions of each suggestion.

• Name the emotion
• Change your thinking
• Focus outside yourself
• Practice positive thinking
• Stand by yourself (based on her example of what this entails this is my personal favorite from this list)
• Use a mantra (yay, mantras!)
• Keep your sense of humor (so very important!)

She offers a few of her own personal favorite mantras, one of which is from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, "Breathing in I calm myself. Breathing out I smile." How truly lovely, and so we have a new Mama Mantra today... Thank you Thich Nhat Hanh, and thank you Peggy O'Mara for sharing it!

Breathing in I calm myself. Breathing out I smile.