Mantra (ray?)

man·tra

[man-truh, mahn-, muhn-]

noun

1.

Hinduism. a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.

2.

an often repeated word, formula, or phrase, often a truism: If I hear the “less is more” mantra one more time, I'll scream.

Mantras. 

I like to repeat words, formulas, and phrases in my head.

Too often it is something like, "Shut up. You really aren't as funny as you think."

Positivity would probably be a good thing for me to have.

Things could go more like, "You're cool. Everyone likes you."

(that's not a truism.
tru·ism

[troo-iz-uhm]

noun

a self-evident, obvious truth.)

Probably, though, my mantra will remain unchanged.

We all focus on what we did wrong rather than what we did well.

I don't know why.

It's a problem.

Is it a human problem?

Do golden retrievers have self-esteem issues?

My guess would be no,

but what do I know?

I'm not a golden retriever.

All I know is that I need my identity to be determined

by what I can do rather than what I am incapable of.

I should be praising myself for the fact that I got out of bed, right?

That I even went to all four classes?

That I stayed awake (mostly) for them?

That I'm not failing my classes?

(well, except calculus.

working on that.)

I don't know.

Sorry if this wasn't what you expected from me.

Sorry if you didn't like this. 

I apologize for the lack of poetically phrased insights into

the human condition.

After all, I'm only human.

--Alis