Beyonce totally nailed it when she said that girls “ran the world.” Seriously, can you imagine a world without selfless moms and wives, gung-ho lady bosses, and everything in between?
We women are fascinating creatures, and our beauty goes beyond the physical. But the thing is, we’re often reminded that beauty is only skin-deep, when our strength of character speaks volumes to just how beautiful we are. Most of us are told to just stand in the sidelines when there’s so much that we could do, when there’s so much that we could achieve beyond our wildest dreams. But the thing is, you are a strong and independent woman, and you can definitely change the world for the better in your own special way.
So, to remind you just how awesome you are, here are five mantras that you should tell yourself every morning. Start your day with these empowering messages, and show the world just what a strong and independent woman can do!
1. “Thank you.”
Gratitude is a very powerful thing: it allows you to count your blessings and to appreciate what you have. Starting the day with a simple “thank you” changes how you see the world. Starting the day on a positive note will make you realize that a stressful work commute, a stressful boss, and stressful workload won’t matter as much. And the best part is, gratitude is a gift that keeps on giving. Starting the day with a simple “thanks” could also lead you to be more appreciative at work. According to a report from the Harvard Gazette, people who were on the receiving end of a simple “thanks” had “higher levels of self-worth.”
2. “I am my own person.”
We Filipinos can be so self-conscious that, sometimes, we put too much premium on other people’s opinions. While external input is helpful in its own way, paying too much attention to what other people think of you could be really stressful, and even destructive, in the long run. That’s why it’s important to have a strong sense of identity. At the same time, knowing who you really are will help guide your decisions throughout the day. Are you the kind of person who gives her best to every task even if no one is looking? Are you the type of boss who will fight for a promotion to a deserving team member–even if nobody else is supporting it? Every girl should be confident about herself, and having a strong sense of identity is the first step to achieving that.
3. “Bring it on!”
Resilience is a wonderful trait, and we Pinoys have demonstrated it in the face of storms, typhoons, and other natural disasters countless of times. Starting the day with a “can-do” attitude will reinforce your belief that despite all the challenges that will come your way, you will still try, no matter what–and that will be the key to your success. Having trouble with a new skill that you’re currently learning for work? Feeling burnt out from countless overtime shifts? You were given a challenging responsibility in the office? While these setbacks may seem insurmountable, tackling them head-on–even if you’re starting with baby steps–will help you overcome them. Soon enough, you’ll be surprised at what you could do.
4. “My mistakes do not define me.”
We all trip sometimes, but so what? We are way, way bigger than the sum of our mistakes. “Nobody is perfect,” as the cliche goes, so don’t beat yourself up for something that you did wrong. Instead, come up with a solution to make things better. Successful people wouldn’t get to where they are now without tripping every once in a while (yes, this includes your seemingly perfect boss or colleague), but what sets them apart is the fact that they decided to push through, despite all the difficulties. You are more awesome than what you give yourself credit for, so don’t let your mistakes get in the way of just how great you are.
5. “This day will be a good one, no matter what.”
There’s a misconception that being positive means you have to maintain a fake, sheltered sense of happiness and turning a blind eye to all the bad things in this world. However, that’s not the case. Just like mantra #3, being positive means acknowledging your challenges at hand, but still deciding to see the good in them, even if everybody else isn’t.
Determining that your day will be good–despite all the stress that may come along with it–is an example of maintaining a positive outlook. This means that you will not let external factors or things that are out of your control ruin your day.
The Atlantic reports the many benefits of maintaining a positive outlook, but what’s very striking about the report is the fact that optimism is an important trait to maintaining mental strength–even in the midst of very trying circumstances.