Are you a little too busy? Then maybe I have some inspiration to keep you going. With my daughter and I getting ready for our Paris vacation next week, we’re rushing through our to-do lists.

First the back story: My job is insane because the online news startup that I’m working for is preparing to launch next month. I owe my editors a bunch of stories before getting on the plane lugging a carry-on stuffed with snacks and maybe a few miniature bottles of scotch.

Meanwhile on the home front, contractors have been here painting the house, which means the rooms are a big mess. The guys finished up today — but not before I pulled my back moving furniture.

Inspiration: your new mantra

With all this happening, last week I missed doing my usual second weekly blog post. Darn!  So to keep myself from falling further off the blogging wagon, I’m here to share a thought that’s been running through my head. This is another one of my mantras: Everything I need, I already have.

This mantra calms me when I’m feeling overwhelmed and under-prepared for life’s demands. Maybe you’d like to try it, as inspiration to keep you going.

The person who told me this was my first shrink. This was back in my 30s, when I was trying desperately to succeed as a big city newspaper columnist and a wife. Then I got this bit of wisdom from my therapist. What a revelation to realize that I already have it all. Of course in the end, I bailed from both the job and the marriage — but only because I started to see what I really needed…

So this week, I know I have what it takes to finish (most of) my work deadlines. I am capable of running my own household (although the solo responsibility gets tiresome and to be honest, quite lonely). And let’s hear it for being single in Paris, the most romantic city in the world!

At first glance, the idea of already having everything might seem fake, especially in the larger context of human poverty and suffering. But I still think there’s a deeper message here about inner strength and hope.  For me, this is all about the ability to find that sense of self — and not let go.

So what do you think? Is this inspiration to keep you going?