8 Mantras To Stop Taking Things Personally

Taking things personally is something we all do whether we know it or not. The truth is not everything people say and do is directed towards us or is about us. Whether someone insults us or says something great about us is more a comment on them than it is on us. It’s not exactly healthy to walk around taking everything personally. People are on their separate journeys and you never know why someone says or does something that might offend you, so it’s best just to assume it has nothing to do with you. This is obviously easier said than done, but achieving this yogi-like state isn’t just possible, it’s a way that many people around the world are able to function like.

So how do you do this? How do you declutter your life from other people’s opinions of you and live through your own wisdom and guidance?

Look at your reactions. Oftentimes when we feel personally attacked, we automatically jump to a reaction as opposed to mindfully accepting what is happening. If your kids don’t clean their rooms, you might automatically think: They don’t respect me! Or if a coworker didn’t return your pen right away, you might think: They hate me! Or you might even think that the entire world is against you and that no matter what you do, you can’t win. 

The truth is, you don’t have to react at all to these occurrences and events. It’s possible to accept the situation mindfully which will then provide space for less reaction and more diplomatic solutions. Practicing mindful meditation isn’t easy…and being able to be calm in these situations does not happen overnight. But there are some mantras you can use during meditation that will help you take things less personally. The next time you feel yourself reacting to a situation or taking something personally, simply read out these mantras to yourself:

1. Even if it seems personal, it probably isn’t.
2. People do things because of them, not because of you.
3. You may not be able to control what people do to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. 
4. The way people treat you is their problem, how you react is yours.
5. Take constructive criticism seriously, not personally.
6. You are GOOD enough, STRONG enough, SMART enough and FINE enough.
7. All the hardest, coldest people you meet were once as soft as a baby. 
8. Know that everyone is fighting their own battles.

By repeating these mantras everyday, you will instill in your mind a sense of mindful awareness during heated and difficult situations. If you put your effort into mindful acceptance as opposed to fighting against others, you’ll find you’ll be living your life the way you want to live, not the way others dictate it. And if you’re in a situation where someone is presumably attacking you for no reason, sometimes the only thing you can do to diffuse it is to walk away.