I just finished reading YOU ARE A BAD ASS by Jen Sincero. It’s subtitle is “How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life”. I have read a lot about personal mantras and You Are a Bad Ass is a book in which I have found daily mantras in order to start doubting my greatness and start living an awesome life.
Mantra #1
“This is about believing, even when things are at their most uncertain or absolute crappiest, that there is a bright shiny flipside within your reach.” (Sincero, 2013, p.34)
When we are in our darkest moments, it can be very hard to believe that we will ever drag ourselves out and be positive again. Hence, my first mantra should be…There is ALWAYS a shiny flipside.
Mantra #2
“It never ceases to amaze me the precious time we spend chasing the squirrels around our brains,…dissecting the lives of idiots, when we are sitting in the middle of a full-blown miracle that is happening right here, right now.” (Sincero, 2013, p.36)
I am so guilty of this, especially with the onslaught of posts on our Facebook feed each day. I have unfollowed a lot of “friends” because they made me feel jealous or out of shape or wishing I had more money. STOP!!! Those people’s lives are not important and comparison to them is ridiculous. I feel so much better now and I am working on being more present in what is what is happening to me right now. “Comparison is the fastest way to take all the fun out of life.” (Sincero, 2013, p.61) is an especially relevant mantra.
Mantra #3
“Holding on to my bad feelings about this is doing nothing but harming me, and everyone else, preventing me from enjoying my life fully. I am an awesome person. I choose to enjoy life. I choose to let this go.” (Sincero, 2013, p. 62)
Just like the song in Frozen…Let it go!! Let it go!!! Festering on something that is happening just saps your energy, makes you grumpy and unhappy and, hence, makes those around you uncomfortable. You ARE a good person and I AM a good person, therefore, a suitable mantra probably should be…Let it go and enjoy life!
Mantra #4
“Do not fall prey to the false belief that by forgiving someone you’re letting them off the hook. Because when you forgive someone you let yourself off the hook.” (Sincero, 2013, p.123)
I know that this is absolutely true and it is the best thing that I can do for myself. Holding on to negative energy can make you sick, stressed out, unhappy, lethargic…in addition to other ailments. As I am typing this, I just had a huge A-HA moment. It says to forgive, but it doesn’t say you have to forget about what happened. This is definitely something that I struggle with. I know that the resentment I feel isn’t good for my soul. Consequently, I can forgive, but I will not forget. As a result, a fitting mantra is…Let yourself off the hook.
Mantra #5
“Set honest goals that are just outside your comfort zone and build from there.” (Sincero, 2013, p.238) I LOVE this. Don’t make these HUGE, hard to attain goals. Move forward in small increments and you will reach those goals and feel a sense of success. Finally, a mantra for this quote should be…Go just outside your comfort zone. Five great mantras!
In conclusion, no compensation or products have been exchanged for this post. I enjoyed this book and wanted to share it with others since it was helpful to me. What books are you reading that have given you an A-HA moment? Do any of them have mantras that you can live by?
You had me at “You are a badass.” 🙂
Aren’t we all badasses??!!
Great post! I want to read this book now ?
Thanks Lauren…definitely put it on your must-read list.
I’ve got this book on my to-read list. Might have to actually prioritize reading it now. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely move it to the top of your must-read list Wendy:)
I absolutely loved this book. I have read quite a few self help books and this one stuck with me the most. I love the mantras you picked. Mantra #5 has stuck with me since reading it a few months ago. It really does motivate the crap out of me when I think about it.
This book made a lot of sense to me and I really like it. I didn’t agree with absolutely everything, but overall I totally got what she was saying and agree with it.
I’ve heard good things about this post. Thanks for sharing the quotes and mantras you got from this one. I like that forgiving someone is about making YOURSELF feel better – not the other person. It’s very true.
Thank you!!!! That is the hardest one for me. I know if I do it, it will be better for me, but sometimes that forgiving is so hard.
This sounds like an awesome book!
It is…give it a read:)
I love these, going to mull them over more as I am doing the housework. 🙂 But I already know I need to work on #2 and #5. I live by #1; thankfully I am married to possibly the world’s most positive person and thanks to him I have learned that there really is a shiny flipside. 🙂
I find that men just don’t get bogged down in drama in general. #5 is definitely the hardest one for me.
This book had a profound effect on my life for many of the same mantras and A-ha moments that you pulled. I think a really big one for me, too, was that comparison is the thief of joy and it’s important to find happiness within or well never find it in life. So glad you enjoyed this book as well–ps: that pic of you is adorable!
Thanks Charlotte!!! My son’s name was going to be Charlotte if he was a girl:) I totally agree…comparison IS the thief of joy….working on that one daily.
i read this last year as it was a selection for a book club. so good. i loved it.
It is great, isn’t it Jenn??!!
these mantras are great – comparison is the one thats a total killer for me!
Me too Hal!!
Very nice post. I really wanna read this book now. xx
Give it a look Anna…it’s a great read!
I love this!
“It never ceases to amaze me the precious time we spend chasing the squirrels around our brains,…dissecting the lives of idiots, when we are sitting in the middle of a full-blown miracle that is happening right here, right now.”
My personal favorite! I definitely needed this right now.
OMG…I LOVED that line…”dissecting the lives of idiots”…it’s so true and it has to stop!!! Thanks Hannah!!
This sounds like a great book. I like the idea of being in a miracle right now. The 23 year old me would look at this 43 year old me and be blown away by what I have. I need to remember that when I feel like I don’t have or am not enough.
True words Kate!! I am working on the “I am Enough” mantra myself.
Definitely #3 is my mantra in life. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have to work on Letting It Go…one of the toughest things for me to do, but so important. Thanks Joy.
These are great mantras! I particularly like 2 and 4. Might have to write them down to refer back to when I need some encouragement ?
http://www.thesmalladventurer.blogspot.com.au/
Yes…the comparison habit has to be broken because it is so bad for us.
These are all such important mantras to live by. Especially letting things go! It makes you feel so much lighter.
xo Jessica
http://www.whatsfordinneresq.com
Yes!!! I love how you put that…letting go makes you feel lighter. Thanks Jessica
I’ve been dying to read this book — and these mantras make me want to read it even more! I also recently read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, which was incredibly inspiring!
Big Magic has been on my to-read list for a long time. I definitely need to read that one too. Thanks Corey.
I love ’em all! Totally true and can definitely send positive vibes everyday! <3
Thanks Laura…yay for positivity everyday!!!
you are a badass was a great book and i laughed out loud reading it just i like did reading this post. you’re mantras are awesome!
Thanks Jessica…laughing is good for the soul
I LOVE that book. I kept a ton of quotes from it. It gave me a whole new outlook on life. 🙂
I definitely could have come up with more than 5 mantras, that’s for sure.
Great post! I enjoyed reading the mantras which I probably should listen to a little more. I’m working on figuring out my own mantras to follow. Right now with everything life has thrown at me, I’m just trying to “Live in the moment.” Perhaps that’s my mantra.
– http://www.momentsformeonline.com
I’m working on being present too…great mantra Wendy
I totally agree with the point about comparisons! Especially with social media, it is really hard to stop comparing ourselves to others, and it is such a waste of time and energy!
I TOTALLY agree Vicki…I have unfollowed a lot of people because all they did was brag about how wonderful they were making me feel left out or bad about myself…one of my favorite quotes: Her success is not your failure
Every single one of these resonates so loudly with me!! All so good! Love it!
So true Ruthie…all my readers have been saying the same thing…it’s nice to know we’re not alone in this process
Oh my goodness these are are such good mantras! In another group we were just talking about how comparison is the thief of joy, and now I’m reading it here. It is something I struggle with in the blogging game, but I think God may be telling me something. Thanks for sharing these, it was a needed read to start out my day.
Thank you Danielle…comparison is SUCH a thief of time and joy….so true!!! I happen to think your blog name is AWESOME and you are doing a great job!!
Love this! such an awesome book with great take away messages!
It is a great book…I could read it over and over and find new things in it.
I have such a problem with comparison. I need to let it go because it only sucks for me!
Don’t let comparison rob you of your joy:)
“Holding on to my bad feelings about this is doing nothing but harming me, and everyone else, preventing me from enjoying my life fully. I am an awesome person. I choose to enjoy life. I choose to let this go.” (Sincero, 2013, p. 62) – love this mantra just in time.
The key is letting go…something I am constantly working on.