Lifestyle

4 Power Mantras To Remember When Times Get Tough

by Alli Page

One of the reasons our 20s are so challenging is that so many things are up in the air.

Like, for instance, we may be skating from one career idea to the next, or one major to the next, or one dating situation to the next, until it seems nothing fits. This is likely to be scary, overwhelming and completely out of our comfort zones.

Loneliness often strikes as well: Many of us are in new cities, new careers or new colleges. The arena of big changes often leads to hard times.

The wonderful thing about power mantras is that they can be rehearsed when times get hard, and used as a mechanism to pull our feet back to stability. Here are four power mantras for when times get tough:

1. There are no mistakes, only lessons

Our 20s are full of mistakes as they rightfully should be. Who wants to be perfect all the time? Our 20s are the time to mess up, learn, change, regroup, then repeat. It is only through trying new things (then messing up and learning) that we are able to find what works.

The cool thing about the mantra "There are no mistakes, only lessons" is that it reaffirms that it's okay to make mistakes and it's okay to mess up. How else would we learn anything?

2. Adventure exists in uncertainty

Young adulthood is full of uncertainty. For most people, not knowing where they fit in leads to vast discomfort. Instead of getting so freaked out, it is helpful to find the fun and adventure in the uncertainty. Instead of viewing uncertainty as overwhelming and stressful, try seeing the uncertainty as an opportunity for self-growth, exploration and trying new things.

The mantra "Adventure exists in uncertainty" is great because it reminds us of the fun that exists within uncertainty: Uncertainty doesn't have to be scary; it can be an opportunity for greater life lessons and adventure.

3. Life is about the experience, not the destination

In our 20s, it can become easy to focus on the end goal and forget to enjoy the path to get there. When we focus solely on the destination, we miss out on the here and now. Focus too much on the future, and we miss the present.

The nice thing about the mantra, "Life is about the experience, not the destination," is that it reminds us of the beauty in the ride: Life should not just be about the end goal; it should also be about enjoying the present moments.

4. Beauty exists within chaos

No matter how unsettled we might feel at times, or how confusing a current situation might be, light does not exist without dark in the same way that beauty exists within chaos. If we can learn to find beauty in the imperfect, our 20s will be a lot happier and more fulfilled.

The wonderful thing about this mantra, is that it reminds us that we don't need to be perfect to be happy; instead, we can see the beauty in the imperfection of our lives.

Photo via Tumblr