Why You Have to Change Your Mind

“Whatever is lovely, true, noble, right, pure, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, think on such things.”

Philippians: 4.8

Recently, I descended into my ego again.  You know…..that arrogant, conceited, pompous state of mind that criticizes and deprecates everything and everyone around her.  That braggart who knows more, is better than, who gets pulled into convincing herself she’s superior to those around her.

Why do we do that?  It’s obvious, isn’t it?  Well, something or someone caused me to doubt myself, so my ego was on the watch for  ways to convince me that I am more than I fear I might not be.

I remember, in the past, how I would stay in that frame of mind for days, weeks, months.  I’ve even been there for years.  My disparaging thoughts would shift from thinking about other people to judging myself, depending on my vantage point.

Now that I know better, it’s hard to conceive how I could allow that pac man invasion to continue.  But I didn’t know better.

When I was in the midst of that mindset, I couldn’t sleep.  I didn’t get much accomplished.  I kept looking for something outside of myself to make me feel better.  And some things helped for awhile.  But not for long…..ever.

It wasn’t until that mentality began to not just attack my mind but began to assault my body, too, that I finally asked for help.  My need to prove to myself that I was good enough and I was worthy was now causing me to have not just thoughts to deal with, but real bodily concerns.

I surrendered and looked for help.  Some books provided insight into what was happening to me.  Some suggested using positive affirmations. Others gave me new ways to see my circumstances in a more positive way.  Again they helped for awhile, but not in the long run.

Negativity entrenches itself into your mind because we fear we’re not okay.  This is a part of a natural fight or flight response our bodies uses to help us stay safe.  In the midst of an onslaught of negativity, it’s impossible to change your mind.  The voice in your mind is just too loud.  But there is a process you might do to find happiness and peace once again:

• Don’t react to the thoughts as you listen to them.
• Instead, observe the thoughts.  You’re not the one thinking them.
• Something magical happens when you acknowledge and disassociate with the negativity.  Negativity loses it’s hold in your mind.
• Once the  thoughts lose momentum, replace those thoughts with some thoughts that make you happy, like the ones in the quote above.

As you keep practicing this, you’ll begin to notice that it’s getting easier and easier to know when you need to stop thinking the thoughts that make you suffer.  You’ll be able to turn around the negativity quicker.

Appreciation of what you see around you, all that which makes you feel good, is a higher vibration.  The vibration of Love is where Happiness resides.  Embrace happiness and help yourself and the world heal.