My Best Self - October

October is always a month which sees Breast Cancer highlighted across the country, with various events encouraging us to wear pink, to raise awareness of the need to keep fund-raising and supporting research and care charities.

Here at Mantra, every month is a fund-raising month, as we work with nine charities throughout the year to raise money for their particular cause. Breast Cancer is no exception, as we seek to support the excellent work done by Breast Cancer Haven.

This month, we have picked the mantra which is linked to our Heart Necklace for Breast Cancer Haven, as the one to focus on and learn from:

‘You’re someone special. Someone strong. Someone loved’.

This powerful phrase is a great mantra for a friend or loved one who is going through a tough time – either because of illness, or some other difficulty or upset in their lives. Sometimes, we all need a reminder of how special we are, and how much love there is out there for us – from colleagues, neighbours and acquaintances, as well as from close family and friends.

I am going to try harder this month to say this mantra – maybe not in these exact words, but finding words that work for me - to people I know and love, to let them know how special I think they are. It can be easy to make an assumption that people know how we feel, so we often fail to express our admiration or respect for friends and loved ones.

It is also good to be reminded of how strong we are, as we don’t always feel strong or courageous when we are going through something difficult. It is only when we come out the other side do we realise how much inner strength and determination we must have had, to pull us through.

It is often other people’s belief in us that helps us to believe in ourselves. If we have a major challenge ahead of us – from taking our exams, to running a marathon, to going through some difficult treatment – it is often someone else’s belief in us, that we are strong enough to handle it, and to get through it well – which ignites our own determination and self-belief.

So, this month, let’s all find ways to remind people how special they are. To let our friends, partners and family know how much we love them, respect them, and care about them. And how much we admire their resilience, their determination, their perseverance.

A positive and uplifting phrase, meant well and expressed sincerely, can make all the difference to how someone feels.

Share your stories with us – have you gone out of your way to tell someone what they mean to you, this month?

To remind you to live this month’s mantra, our Heart Necklace for Breast Cancer Haven is 15% off this month, but we will still be giving our 25% donation of the FULL retail price to the charity.