9 Positive Mantras For Anyone Who Is In Need Of A Little Pick-Me-Up

1. You’re still here. You’re still breathing and blinking, and your heart is still beating, and that is something to be celebrated, never squandered. Now, repeat after me: “I’m still here, and I will celebrate that simple fact.”

2. It’s okay to rest. Rest and laziness are not equivalent, so whoever told you that is a liar. Resist the urge to feed that lie. Now, repeat after me: “It’s okay to let myself rest.”

3. It’s okay to feel whatever negative feeling it is that you’re feeling right now. But it’s not okay to let that negativity steal your joy completely. You do not have to give your heart and your head over to the things that try to steal your happiness. You’re allowed to stand in the light. Now, repeat after me: “It’s okay for me to stand in the light.”

4. The next minute is a new moment to begin anew. Even if you’re feeling crummy and defeated and on the verge of giving up, the next moment is always a new point at which you can begin again. Now, repeat after me: “I can begin again.”

5. Even when you feel like you have no choice, you do. You cannot always control what the world throws your way, but you can control how you react to the things that come onto your path. You get to choose the words you speak, what you focus on, and what you decide to carry with you throughout your days. You have choices. Now, repeat after me: “I have choices. I get to choose.”

6. You cannot be all the things to all the people. You are a human, not a machine. It’s okay to say “no” to the things that do not serve your time or your spirit. This is not a character flaw—it’s self-preservation. Now, repeat after me: “No, thank you.”

7. Sometimes your scars make a map that will lead you in an entirely new direction. Be open to the detour. It’s okay to change your route. Now, repeat after me: “It’s okay for me to change my route.”

8. The sun will shine tomorrow. Yes, that’s a ridiculously cheesy quote made famous by the movie Annie. But it’s true! The sun will shine tomorrow, and so will you. Now, repeat after me: “I will shine tomorrow!”

9. You can do hard things even when you feel as if you cannot move another muscle or possibly stop crying or see how the light gets in—you can get to the other side of your struggle. Now, repeat after me: “I can do hard things.”