Words to Live By

Five Mantras that Help Me Live a Better Life

Where should we meet up later? That Rumi field, man! Photo by Adriel Kloppenburg on Unsplash

I still remember 5 years ago when I first heard the Rumi quote, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” For the next week, my internal voice would quietly and constantly remind me There is a field. I’ll meet you there. It got stuck on a loop in my brain and was a very helpful chorus to play on repeat.

I can be overly opinionated and too demonstrative at times. Thinking of that field (I see it with glowing tall grass), and thinking of Rumi, helped me to be more open. To listen more. To be less sure I was right. These are things that nearly everyone could do better — and picturing that field certainly helps me.

These other 5 mantras below, are ideas and expressions that I keep on the soundboard in my brain. I just have to push the right button and the one line plays, reminding me of something I want to keep top of mind. All of these mantras are ideas that I believe can help humanity to be better overall. But for now, I’m just worried about myself. They make me a better version of myself.

Come on! Where’s my skateboard? Photo by Brandon Cormier on Unsplash

1. Structure Breeds Creativity