Let’s be honest: modern life can feel quite overwhelming at times.

There is so much to do, accomplish, explore, and attend to. There are a lot of details, many of which scream for our attention and jockey for a position to be at the top of our to-do list.

Below are three simple mantras that have helped me stay more calm and relaxed throughout the day. Whenever I feel underwater or out of sorts or unsure if I should turn right or left at the next decision intersection (they feel like intersections a lot of the time, don’t they?), I find solace in the following simple but profound phrases.

A mantra is a word, sound, or slogan repeated frequently to aid with concentration and meditation. The word “mantra” derives from a Sanskrit word meaning a “sacred message or text, charm, spell or counsel.”

Use these mantras to help bring you back to the present moment:

1. “I surrender.”

Many times we feel overwhelmed because we aren’t sure what step to take next. Our brains can definitely experience burnout due to the 35,000 decisions we make each day.

When you find yourself in a doozy of conundrum or in a tangled web of uncertainty with a side confusion, say, “I surrender,” and give yourself a couple of beats. Take a few deep breaths and listen to what your intuition is telling you to do next. It might be to drink a glass of water, take a few more deep breaths, or leave the situation you are in and clear your head.

Saying, “I surrender” puts us in a state of faith and trust that an answer or solution or next step will materialize. It helps us to hear ourselves better and takes the pressure off.

Surrendering a situation or relationship or even a clue as to what to make for dinner doesn’t mean we don’t care or that we’ve given up. It means we are placing it in the care of a higher power so we can be helped. We allow that divine intelligence to sort it out for us.

This mantra also helps us relax, which in turn awakens our creative muscles so we can handle whatever is bothering us in a more receptive way.

It allows us to unclench our grip on whatever is happening so it can be worked out organically.

2. “I trust myself.”

Many of us were not taught self-trust. We were most likely taught to put our trust in a system, an authority figure(s), or a dogma, thus ignoring our gut feelings and not developing a relationship with our own intuition.

Deep down, we always know. Many of us have experienced times when we’ve kicked ourselves because of a bad outcome after not listening to our intuition about a situation or person. The phrase, “I knew it!” keeps rattling around in our heads.

It is safe to trust ourselves and build trust with ourselves on a regular basis. Building trust with ourselves is not far off from building trust with other people. We have to be conscious of it and work that muscle. We have to make promises to ourselves and keep them. This starts a domino effect of showing up for ourselves more and relying on our own voice.

Saying, “I trust myself” is empowering and allows us to re-take ownership of our decisions. It’s healing because so many of us were not taught this in school or in our home life.

When we trust ourselves in a deeper way, the floodgates open to our greater gifts, skills, and talents. We start to become more authentic and loving toward ourselves. We start to have a better quality of life because we begin to take stock of how much wisdom we carry within us that was just yearning to burst forth.

3. “Thank you.”

One of my favorite apps sends daily advice from the archangels and recently, this gem popped up: “Say ‘thank you’ throughout the day and watch gifts continually come your way.”

One of the most helpful things we can do for ourselves is accept each situation as if we chose it. This is always easier said than done, but if something is already happening—regardless of how we feel about it—we may as well experience it the best way we can.

All of us will get stuck in traffic, be in a long line, experience a delay with a shipment or an appointment or have stress with a family member. It’s just part of the package.

When we turn our attitude around by saying “Thank you” about whatever is happening, we just took our power back. We have an opportunity to find something pleasant, positive, or uplifting about the present moment. Sure, waiting in a long line can be a drag, but it’s even more of a drag when we resist it.

We can also up-level our day by saying “Thank you” for things we usually take for granted. How about that hot shower? Or that amazing cup of coffee or tea? Perhaps you received a sweet text from your friend asking you how your day is.

All of this deserves our attention and our gratitude. After all, everything that comes in is a part of our journey. It is all precious—even the hard stuff.

Saying “Thank you” also raises our vibration to receive more. It puts us in a state of openness and clarity. It gives us the opportunity to awaken to all we were blinded to because of our previous tunnel vision.

Make these mantras part of your guidance system. We are powerful and resourceful beyond measure, and our words shape our world and experiences. Having something we can rely on, whether things are going our way or not, gives us peace because we know we can depend on ourselves.

We surrender and we start to trust, and for that, we become so very thankful.