What are your mantras to get you through anxiety, panic, stress or despair?

[Yoopergarden]

This to shall pass.... My stoic German grandmothers words of wisdom. The same woman who taught me to love gardening as a kid. She is looking down getting a kick of me!

[cybersmib]

Well, it usually starts with “watch this” followed by “I wasn’t figuring on that, but you make that look good”.

[Bowhunterwoody]

Usually start with don't sweat the small stuff, then finish with F$#@ this I'm out.

[Bowhunterwoody]

I also like @SoOrbudgal's " figure it out"

[BR2K]

Not a mantra but works similarly: I recently bought a banjo, almost on a whim, to add to my repertoire for my YouTube channel. I got tired of of mooches complaining about my canned (royalty free) tunes.

I knew nothing about them other than the sound they make. The past week has BLOWN my mind.

Okay, back to the "mantra" part. The banjo strings are set up so an open strum plays a G chord. I watched a video from my banjo manufacterer, Deering, instructing on the clawhammer method. I find practicing this clawhammer technique extremely soothing, even if I goof. The instructor's best piece of advice "Learn slow, so you can play fast." That's probably why it is so comforting, 'cause I'm taking the time to feel the strings, hear the tones, etc.

That's my .02 cents for the day.

[Xena]

What’s your channel on YouTube?

[kayakiit]

I really like repeating "I am ___ (stronger/tougher/braver) than this feeling" when I'm feeling overwhelmed until the worst of it passes. I also do 4-3-4 breathing - inhale for four seconds, hold for three, and exhale for four. Grounding exercises can be helpful too, like setting a timer for 2-3 minutes putting ice packs on both sides of your face, or laying on the floor with your legs fully up the wall for a similar amount of time. If you Google these suggestions I'm sure others can explain them better than me, but they're all based on therapy and research in the past.
Smoking about it also works wonders Best wishes to everyone here whatever you choose!

[JDU]

If it gets too bad......

[JDU]

This one works!

[Farmbuck]

I count the number of bottles of wine I have and I say to myself "You know what, it's not the end of the world" and I raise my glass..!

[SoOrbudgal]

Well besides reading the forum right now i'm watching our dog Sonny chasing squirrels out in the wooded area. He comes home just tongue hanging an thirsty. He parks his body right near the wood piles i can't say for sure but i'm also highly suspicious he's got wood rats cornered in those piles.

[TOKABIGONE]

I just go talk to my plants...they listen and don't have to say anything.

[Farmbuck]

SoOrbudgal Well I hope it's not that type of rat. This is my little girl who come and climb on me.

[SoOrbudgal]

Right there with ya Bowhunterwoody. Those squirrels drive our dogs nuts. They drop pine cones on them i watch them do it. One of our cat's sits at the base of the tree an i think she is communicating with it, i've seen them one time chase each other.

[MrPNW]

You guys have seen the movie UP, right? SQUIRREL!

[Farmbuck]

Here we call them rats with furry tail.

[Mazzariman]

If available, a Demerol drip really works well when in need of an attitude adjustment. Or on a lighter note:

[MagicMike66]

Surely the answer to all the questions in the title of this thread is weed? I vote to rename it to ‘as well as weed...’ I’m just fucking with yous so I can see the posts for any ideas

[dilvish]

Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse

When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble give a whistle
This will help things turn out for the best

Always look on the bright side of life
Always look on the right side of life

If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing

When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly, chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle, that's the thing

So, always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a counterfeit and when you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's the joke, it's true

You see, it's all a show, keep them laughing as you go
Just remember the last laugh is on you

Always look on the bright side of life
And always look on the right side of life
Always look on the bright side of life
And always look on the right side of life

[Mazzariman]

Another way to really tune in, is when you're breaking up the soil from the last years containers. Busting up any clods, pulling out any rocks twigs, roots etc. Kind of like mixing up a batch of brownies with your hands. Adding the new ingredients and making sure everything is evenly mixed. Getting the container ready for the upcoming transplanting of a new gal. Very Zen like. A true labour of love. Like cooking and music, it's all about the prep work. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. (I grow outdoors, but I bet the indoor growers have experienced something similar)

[MrPNW]

Definitely, working with weed is the closest I’ve come to working on bonsai. My tools are in use again!