How Much Does A Mantra Matter?

How does one choose a mantra?

As I understand it, a mantra is a personal message or signal that will propel me into becoming a better me. It's a Pavlov's dogs kinda thing, right? When I hear the bell (ie. mantra) I'll begin salivating (ie. leap into action). I'll solve my own woes, fix my disappointments and become an advocate for me, myself and I. It's something I must do. I must focus on me and making me a more enlightened me.

I've been giving this some thought but am stuck on what my mantra should be. Afterall, if I use the mantra properly, it'll be a phrase that I'll repeat over and over and over again. It must have staying power.

"My life is in my control." Nope. When I say that the next phrase that comes into my head is "Take me to your leader."

"My life ..." Nope, I can't even start with "My life" because it makes me think of "My card" which makes me think of Robert DeNiro in an American Express commercial.

"Breathing is everything." Nope. I feel like I'm in Lamaze class and I'm not even pregnant.

"Live for today." Nope. There's Robin Williams with his face all scrunched up yelling "Carpe Diem" at me.

"One moment at a time." Nope. It sounds too much like a Hallmark card.

You know, as I write these different mantra ideas down there's one phrase that keeps whirling around in my head that just won't go away ...

"I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spoooks. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do believe in spooks."

It's a classic, really. The cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz is genuine if nothing else. He wants to be a better lion. Maybe I can try on his mantra for awhile and graduate into other meaningful mantras from The Wizard of Oz: "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." "And your little dog too. And your little dog too." "Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" "Who rang that bell? Who rang that bell?"

"We represent the lollipop guild ..."

Well, you get the idea. I guess a mantra is what you make of it. And if my mantra can take me away from my worries and problems and all the way to a land called Oz then all I can say is,

"Ding dong the witch is dead. Ding dong the witch is dead."