“Your thoughts bear fruit. Think good thoughts and the fruit in your life will be good. Think bad thoughts and the fruit in your life will be bad. For as you think in your heart, so are you. ”
(Ending Your Day Right)

Point to Ponder:
Have you put off determining your mantra?   Don’t over-think it, just jot down a phrase that inspires you!

Action Item:
If you haven’t already, determine your goal/mantra/intention for Spring & repeat it to yourself first thing each morning.

There’s no doubt that our thoughts and words act as both a road map and magnet in our lives. If we think and speak words of encouragement and positive affirmation to ourselves and others, not only will our day and lives move in a positive direction, but the people we attract will add meaningful value to our lives.

Thoughts and words are magic. They can tear down or build up. They can quickly make a bad situation worse, like throwing gas on a fire, or they can boost our spirit in times of complete and utter frustration, annoyance and anger. They can quickly put life into perspective. They, our thoughts and words, have the power to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. Lucky us, because every thought and word we choose to think and speak is a choice, so choose yours wisely!

As we focus one more week on creating our mantra, motto or determining a goal for the spring season, iGnite leaders Betty, Meg and Sha have shared their comical and heartfelt mantras below.

“Look Up & Live Now”

by Betty Cunningham

Too often I let the circumstances of my life overwhelm me and I begin to focus on the negative. “Too much to do, not enough time,” “Complicated problem, can’t figure it out,” etc. If I simply take the time to look up and put my problems into perspective, it changes my reaction. In 2014, I will ‘look up’ more and fret less. Even if it means looking up to the heavens and saying, “Really?!  You have got to be kidding me!”  This gesture at least gives me and God a good laugh.

My dad gave each one of us a nick name when we were in babyhood. My nickname was Short Fat and Ugly. My sister Theresa (a type A+++++ personality & complete overachiever) now calls me the, Short Skinny Procrastinator. It’s so true! (well maybe not the skinny part.) I must say that I am fairly accomplished at completing my day to day to do list, however, it’s the BIG to-do’s that I miss. Therefore, LIVE NOW is my mantra for 2014, especially when it comes to the relationships in my life. My kids will soon be off to college and living their own lives. It’s time to LIVE NOW and love all the laundry and dishes!

“Take Time For Me”

by Meg O’Connell

“What is necessary is to continue to love. How does a lamp burn, if it is not by the continuous feeding of little drops of oil? When there is no oil, there is no light. Dear friends, what are our drops of oil in our lamps? They are the small things from every day life: the joy, the generosity, the little good things, the humility and the patience. A simple thought for someone else. Our way to be silent, to listen, to forgive, to speak and to act. They are the real drops of oil that make our lamps burn vividly our whole life.” -Mother Teresa

February is here, the month of love. I have to admit, I get caught up in it all: the cute Valentines for the kids, aphrodisiac dinner parties with friends, and champagne and chocolates with my hubby. However, January was more a whirlwind this year than ever before, and because of this, there has been less self-care. As I move into this month’s celebration of love, I feel my desire to focus more on “me.”

With all of the emotional events that I experience or witness, I can easily close off part of my emotional capacity to myself and to others, and as someone who loves to take care of my people, when I don’t take the time to let go of these losses, stresses, and insecurities, I am not able to give. Therefore, in February, I will be taking that time for myself. You will see me on the mat more, running the lake and taking lunches with friends. I will inhale acceptance and let go of all stress when I exhale.

“Be Good to Myself from the Inside Out”

by Sha Klatt

I am at a good place in my life to pay attention to my own daily needs, starting with great nutrition. I’m realizing more and more that ‘you really are what you eat.’  I feel so much better when I eat a healthy diet.

I’m also enjoying and focusing on my spiritual growth. I’ve been attending a Bible study for the first time in decades, and it is wonderful.

Another aspect of being good to myself is of course taking time to be physically active each day. My mom always said, “You have to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.”   It feels good to focus on these words and put them into action!

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