@ Monika – Those are great mantras. And I love the story about your brother. Wow wow wow. I definitely have a few people in my life like that as well, where I can ask myself “what would so-and-so do?” Your brother sounds pretty amazing!

@ HeatherG – Good luck!

@ Ginger Baker – ADORABLE! omg the top hats are too much. I love that site but it’s dangerous!

@ Sarah – And I’m excited to unveil the super secret project! More than you can imagine!

I so very much hear you and relate regarding your professional drive and your babies. It is so hard to balance it and to know what is right. All I can say is to follow your heart, and remember that you do have time. And keep up with those “I love you”s!

@ theradgal – How about something like “I can make the dream I see”, or “I WILL make the dream I see”, or something empowering along those lines?

@ April – Not yet, but I can work on that!

@ Meghan – Sounds like you’re putting up a lot of resistance! I definitely understand that. But keep at it – it will make the break through just that much more sweet. =)

How’s the tummy?

@ sj – Right on! Love it, especially the phrase “my unconquerable soul”. You sound really empowered and it’s inspiring! =D

This month… I think I’ll do “I am fearless” and “I will be better version of me today than I was yesterday”. Right now I’m just working on me, I’ll branch out to mantras about others eventually though!

1. Not having to stir my deodorant anymore! I have been using your recipe for over a year and it works great, but has always separated for me, so I’d have to stir every morning. My new house is less warm than my apartment, I guess, because it stays mixed! Woo!

2. My mom. I think I picked her last week, but it is still true. Could not have survived the move without her!

3. My Christmas tree! While I wouldn’t buy a fake tree new, I got one on freecycle last year, and it works well for us since we tend to travel for the holidays. Woo!

I need a mantra. Mine should have to do with action, because I’m all about thinking and not so much about doing.

I'm excited to see what super secret project you've been working on :)

I had trouble keeping up with my 'I love you's when we were traveling for Thanksgiving, but I wanted to keep going with it anyway. Being around parents/extended family made me feel smaller in some ways and bigger in others. I always get back to equilibrium with some distance, but still. So, lots more loving of myself is in order, I think!

Apathy and burnout are definitely a problem with 2 little 'uns and dissertation work, so I really really need the 'I am fearless' too. I definitely loved to read your interview you linked to the other day. I've always had the same secret, and it's getting harder and harder to deny the closer I get to finishing my PhD! The degree has always been in my head as a sort of safety net rather than something I'm super passionate about. A little overkill maybe? I've always had this dream of academia allowing me to have more flexible time to take better care of my family. Delusional?

A friend of mine told me that women that see themselves as a sort of neo-neo-feminist, wanting to live off of homegrown food, eco-conscious, etc. have a label: femivore. Not sure how I feel about the word, but I was amused to know there was one :P I haven't read up on it too much yet, but googling it turned up bunches of articles!

With the LSAT looming in my very near future and a couple of new endeavors of my own, I’m pretty sure that I’ll be adopting “I’m fearless” as well. (Thanks, Sarah!)

Also, being around my brother for two weeks reminded me of a mantra I’ve internalized so much that I’m not even aware of it anymore. This only relates to times that I physically push myself, but as my daughter gets older I’m finally finding the time to train again, and starting from ground zero is never fun for me. Some quick back story – my brother plowed through Marine Corps boot camp with stage IV Hodgekins, and after a recent spinal fusion, he ran his first half marathon. So when I’m feeling extra-wimpy I just mentally shout to myself “What would Nico do?!” It works every time.