Are you talking to yourself again?

Did you know that you talk to yourself?  That's right, we all do.  It's called our thoughts.  Studies show that we average nearly 60,000 thoughts per day.  That is incredible!  We are bomarded with thoughts of many kinds.  Some are pretty harmless -- like "I feel like having ice cream" or "Isn't that a beautiful sunset?"  Others, however, literally shape our lives in tremendous (yet subtle) ways.

For example, thinking that you are worthless, stupid, or hopeless can be terribly debilitating. You can actually think yourself "worthless, stupid, or hopeless."  Every feeling that we have and our actions begin in our minds. 

What we think becomes what and who we are.  If we believe, for example, that we are unlovable then we will be unlovable.  If we believe that we do not have any friends, then we will not make and hold friendships.  This isn't just positive "mumbo-jumbo."  It is a fact.  Did you know that people who believe that they are healthy actually eat healthier regarless of how much they weigh?  The opposite is aslo true.  People who think that they are fat and lazy eat more and exercise less frequently.  Yes, thinking healthy can actually make you healthy!!!

It is for this reason that St. Paul said, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).  Taking those thoughts captive and making them obedient to the truth is essential in living a full, abundant life.  Reject thoughts of inadequacy and hopeless before they destroy your well-being.  Instead, begin to think positively and optimistically.  This will shape your life in positive ways. 

So what is the secret to thinking positively? Positive thinking begins well before a thought is even formed.  What you focus on in your life will ultimately affect what you think.  That's right.  If you watch crap on TV you will think "crappy" thoughts.  If you listen to vulgar music, you will think "vulgar" thoughts.  Studies have shown that this is true, but it is really a matter of common sense.  our minds are like fertile soil waiting for seeds to be planted.  What we plant by way of listening and watching will grow into a great forest in our minds so it is important to focus on what is good, noble, and pure:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Phil. 4:8,9)

Water the fertile field of your mind with those things that are honorable, true, pure, and lovely.  In so doing you will reap a harvest of pure and lovely thoughts that will blossom into feelings and actions that are also lovely, pure, honorable, and worthy of praise. 

Here is a little exercise aimed at helping you think positively.  It will take about 2 minutes.  Turn off the TV, iTunes, or whatever else might distract you.  Close your eyes and think about something wondeful, pleasing, and pure.  Think about it deeply.  Now open your eyes and write down as many words as you can think of that are positive, pleasing, and noble.  Throughout the day look at the list of words you have written down, especially when you feel down or overwhelmed. 

Every day set some time a side to practice this exercise.  It will only take 2 minutes, but it will produce a wonderful harvest.  Within a very short time, you will feel differently.  You will also begin to behave differently because you're transforming your thoughts by focusing on what is good, pure, noble, and admirable.