A Mind Reno

Spring is blossoming – the days are beginning to be longer – the sun a bit warmer and a season begins where many think about renovations.  Home and Garden shows are popping up everywhere enticing you to reno your kitchen or your patio.  But!  What about a renovation of your mind?  Clearing out and reshaping all those toxic and unhealthy thoughts that you hoard in the small corners of your brain. A simple mind reno may be just what you need this spring.  

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts… Marcus Aurelius

As with many of my weekly blogs, they stem from amazing devotionals I read daily.  This one [Reset Your Mind. Overhauling Toxic Thoughts] was not only an eye opener to really think about how and what you should think about, but it also gave some tools to put into action. 

When we think about our thoughts, what comes to mind? 

Are your thoughts all butterflies and flowers?  Do you often have happy thoughts as your go about your daily errands?  Do you speak nicely to yourself?  Is your mind at peace and full of kind words?

Or…

Are your thoughts more related on worrying about tasks to be done?  Do you often replay old conversations from friends or family where harmful words or actions had taken place?  Do you talk down to yourself?  Is your mind full of judgement and negative words?

If you are the latter, then maybe it is time to invest in a mind reno.  

The thoughts you keep in a loop determine the direction of your life… Stephen Furtick.

It is believed that we have an estimate of up to 80 000 thoughts per day.  Wow!  Wouldn’t it be lovely if each thought were of kindness, love, positivity and joy?  I know that is a reach, but how wonderful would our society be if that could happen?  Observing the world today, there are way too many unhappy and negative beings walking around in a daze completely unaware of the toxic aura seeping into each encounter they have.  A domino effect of one negative statement affecting another and so on.  

A change needs to happen, but how do we begin?  

There are 4 simple steps for a mind reno to occur:

1. Test Your Thoughts:

In Philippians 4:8, we are told to think about things that are noble, true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise.  

If we break down that verse into its individual points, we can test our thoughts:

• Is our thought noble?  Our thoughts should be glorious and majestic – not unkind or repulsive.

• Is our thought true?  Our thoughts should be authentic, real, and line up with God’s word.

• Is our thought pure?  Our thoughts should be ethical, good, upright, and honest.

• Is our thought right?  Our thoughts should be accurate and appropriate.

• Is our thought lovely?  Our thoughts should be beautiful and wonderful – seeing the remarkable stunning life before us.

• Is our thought admirable? Our thoughts should be credible and distinguished – which allows us to live a commendable life. 

• Is our thought excellent?  Our thoughts should be superb and exceptional which will allow us to live an excellent life. 

• Is our thought worthy of praise?  Our thoughts should be about God’s word and His ways and plans.  When we think via God’s words – our words are full of praise.

2. Capture Your Thoughts:

We often let our thoughts control us – hold us tight in a lie.  However, we cannot allow this to happen.  We must capture our thoughts.  This step is not an easy one.  For example, if you have unforgiveness towards someone – everyday, you remember the hurtful action and what they have done.  You are tied to it and cannot let go.  Each lie and negative thought about this ‘person’ or ‘action’ is indeed a toxic lie.  A toxic thought occurring over and over within your mind causing you to be unhappy and in turn having that domino effect on anyone your encounter with your negativity.  

When you begin to recognize this negative talk – you can begin to capture it and push it aside.  You may have to repeat this action many times before it finally sticks, but each time you do – the pain and hurt from that old action will become less.  You begin to heal. 

Why is this important?  

Not capturing our negative thoughts prevents us from living a joyful life, tears us down instead of building us up, which then controls our mind and actions.

Capturing our thoughts allows us to live joyfully and wonderfully alongside God’s word and plans.  

3. Fix Your Thoughts:

Joyce Meyer has said that when we fill our thoughts with the right things, the wrong things have no room to enter.  This concept is so true.  Once we test our thoughts and capture those negative ones, we need to be proactive in our daily thoughts for prevention.  

There are plenty of things in today’s world that we see and hear that are awful, negative and even toxic.  Some things, we have no control of avoiding – accidents, unhappy co-workers for example, but there are many ways to avoid and prevent negative thoughts from entering your mind.  

What are you watching on TV? Social media? Or even reading?  You may need to take a break from certain TV shows, or your social media feed, or even stop your newspaper subscription in order to begin your mind reno.  

If you hoard your mind with clutter, you may need a mind reno to refresh.  Reading and watching light hearted stories, funny scenarios, or heartwarming adventures will begin to fill your mind with joyful thoughts making zero room for that clutter to stack up.  

Sidenote:  To read more about Taking A Break – CLICK HERE

4. Put It Into Action:

To live a life of positivity, joy and kindness – we can’t allow negative thoughts to take captive any longer.  These tools will provide the strength you need to battle your day and if you begin your day with an inspiring devotional taking in God’s words of love – you will have the armor and tools necessary for your mind reno to flourish.  

Some great devotionals to begin with are:

• Start your day right – Joyce Meyer
• Battlefield of the mind – Joyce Meyer
• The Power of a Woman’s Words – Sharen Jaynes
• How Joyful People Think – Jamie Rasmussen
• How to Live a Joyful Life – Joyce Meyer

Sidenote: As you can see, there are many Joyce Meyer devotionals listed. Joyce Meyer is an amazing speaker – whom I have had the pleasure of seeing in person. She not only speaks joy, love and positivity, she is real and down to earth with her topics. You can find many of her books HERE.

So, as you begin your mind reno this season – test your thoughts and take captive any that are unpleasant.  No allowing them to thrive in your joyful spirit will provide you with the happy life you were meant to live and give you a glorious transformation so you can shine onto others.  Add a mind reno to your list of to-do’s this spring.  Not only will your beautiful home turn magnificent, but your spirit will shine so glorious that others will want to know your reno secret.