Mayim Bialik Explains Why She Uses This Positive Thinking Mantra

This video is part of Health's My Mantra series. Follow along with new videos on our Instagram page and share your own words of wisdom using #MantraMonday.

Positive thinking has major body and mind benefits, and it's just as important to be optimistic when life is rough as it is when things are going well. Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik, best known for her role as Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, thinks this way every day. So it's no surprise that this 44-year-old mom's mantra is an ancient saying that reflects her positive outlook.

"I would say that one of my most-used mantras is 'This too shall pass,'" Bialik tells Health. "I don't remember where I first heard it. It's definitely an expression in Hebrew; I speak Hebrew and have a lot of friends who speak Hebrew...I definitely use it a lot."

Bialik keeps it in mind when times are challenging, and it helps her manage difficult emotions and feelings. "I think what's most important is that I use it in good times and bad. So obviously it's really easy to want bad things to go away, bad feelings, bad situations, grief, loss, and it's comforting to know that this will pass. This set of feelings will pass."

But it's not just for moving on from loss or other unsettling feelings. The saying reminds her to appreciate happy moments and embrace them as they happen.

"I think it's also important in good times to remember that life is never one or the other, and especially when we're feeling good," she says. "It's not that we shouldn't lean into how good we feel, but there will also come times that are hard again. It helps me be present and really grateful for good times, knowing that it's not a permanent state, and we should really cherish it."