Today's Mantra: This is JUST for Me

We spend so much of our day, so much of our lives thinking about other people, worrying about people or things that are beyond our control. Parents worry about their kids; adults worry about their jobs; even kids nowadays are more stressed than ever with the rise of social media. We've got so many things on our mind all the time that we seem to have become a multitasking society.

Lists to check off, events to attend... add to that the fact that we often spread ourselves too thin and get discouraged when we feel like we let ourselves (or others) down. It's no wonder we have trouble sleeping, we have anxiety and maybe some other health problems that we'd rather do without.

When we are pulled in all of these different directions we can't appreciate the present moment. Worries of the future, regrets of the past cloud our mind and too often we miss out on what's in front of us, or better yet ignore what's going on inside of us.

So make that choice right now. Visit your mat for a stretch, or just take some quiet time to yourself to meditate and leave the outside world at the door, and repeat this mantra with every breath:

THIS IS JUST FOR ME. 

I am the only one who matters right now.
I deserve to feel good.

Take long, full deep breaths, noticing the subtle movements in the body as you breathe. With your eyes closed, seek out any tension in your body and send your inhale to that area. Use your exhale to release that tension. And as you repeat this in your head, feel the softness begin to wash over you. Notice how good it feels to have this moment all to yourself. Keep breathing, and try to draw out every breath as long as comfortably possible, releasing negativity and tension on every exhale.

If you can't bring yourself to believe it, just keep repeating it anyway. Sometimes we have to fake it till we make it, and if we try hard enough we may just start to believe it.