“How have you been thinking today?” Have you ever really taken stock of how you think throughout the day? Is it positive, or does it slide towards the glass half empty side?
Mind set is a really funny thing. It can completely change the way that you see and feel about something. In the wrong mind set you can see the best things in the worst way; or in the right mind set you can see the hard things in a whole new way.
Often times though we get stuck in a mind set, trapped in a cycle of thinking about a situation the same way no matter how hard we try to change. My question to you is, “How hard are you actually trying to change it?” It’s the easiest thing in the world to say, “I’ve tried, but I just can’t be positive about this” when in reality you’ve tried to change your thinking maybe three times. That’s like going to the gym three times and expecting a six pack and then quitting because it was too hard.
Trying to change your mind set is a hard thing to do. It’s not a once and done kind of situation. There are no special books you can read or mantras you can repeat to magically change your perspective. It’s as much a heart thing as it is a mind thing. You have to change the way you see things with your heart before your mind set truly begins to change. And as anyone who has tried to do this before can tell you, it’s not an easy thing to do.
It takes the self discipline to not only catch yourself every time you think about something the wrong way, but also the obedience to make a conscious effort afterwards to see it in a new and better light.
This is something that I have been learning about a lot recently. There are two ways that I can look at my current situation:
1. I have to give up my life here for the complete and utter unknown, and I have no idea if I’ll even like it where I’m going
Or…
2. I get to go try something new and stretch myself and see where the Lord takes me
It’s the switching from 1 to 2 that’s the challenging part most days. It’s so easy to sit and stew in the negative, just like it’s easier to sit and eat fries. Making the effort to switch your heart and mind over is much harder, like training for a marathon. However just like training your body is beneficial and the results come with time and hard work, consciously changing your mind set results in a more positive life.
I for one want a life that is not weighed down by the negativity of my own perspective, but rather filled with willingness and joy from seeing my situation through a changed heart.
Simply Katherina 