If you’ve been living on planet earth for any length of time, you know many things are out of your control. The economy. The weather. Job layoffs. What other people say, think, or how they behave. Not to mention a plethora of other circumstances that impact your life every day.
Most of us spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about things we can’t influence without taking charge of the things we can influence. Our thoughts fall into this category.
Take Charge of Your Thoughts
Why is it so important to take charge of your thoughts? As said by minister Chuck Swindoll, “Thoughts, positive or negative, grow stronger with repetition.”
Over the course of three decades, I have counseled scores of people struggling with many different types of problems. Each of these painful situations has confirmed a truth I learned years ago: What goes on in your head will come out in your actions, attitudes, and ambitions.
Your thoughts—the messages you speak or think to yourself every day—profoundly and powerfully determine every aspect of your life. What you tell yourself about your- self can radically influence your happiness, your relationships, and your physical well-being.
Good News, Bad News Scenario
This presents a good news / bad news scenario. If your thoughts are consistently affirming, optimistic, and constructive, your life is sure to advance in a positive direction. But if your thoughts are consistently critical, pessimistic, and destructive, your life will advance in a negative direction.
I’m sure you like the sound of a positive rather than negative direction. So begin paying close attention to your self-talk and those silent-but-powerful internal messages you continually send yourself. As psychologist Les Parrott explained:
Most of the time we have little awareness of our internal dialogue. Yet this self-talk has a huge impact on how you feel about yourself. It is the single most important determiner of whether or not you feel profound significance at your core. Your self-talk is a primary tool for realizing your lovability. . . . Healthy persons are keenly aware of what they say to themselves, how they say it, and when they say it. [1]
Your internal voice is the most powerful and influential voice in your life. If you want to live your best life and master the keys to health and healing, the place to start is by harnessing your thoughts.
If you are struggling with self-talk and your relationships, The Center • A Place of HOPE is here to help. Our team is skilled at navigating these sensitive issues surrounding fear, depression, stress and anxiety. For more information, fill out this form or call 1-888-747-5592 to speak confidentially with a specialist today.
[1] Les Parrott, Love the Life You Live (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2003), 27, 29.