You become what you think about
How to stop the self-sabotage and embrace your full potential
I recently had dinner with a close friend of mine, who, upon politely asking me how I was, received more than she bargained for.
“I’ve been so anxious lately,” I blurted out.
“I don’t’ know why, but I’ve been overthinking so much. It’s like I can’t get out of my head!” My pace quickened. “And it’s not because I have more events on or more to worry about, for some reason I’ve become acutely sensitive to what people think of me. I’m overthinking the smallest social interactions.”
I stopped. “Sorry…” I said. “You didn’t ask for this boring life update.”
“It’s not boring,” she reassured me. And as she spoke, her wisdom and encouragement slowed my racing thoughts and taught me something crucially important:
🔔 You become what you think about 🔔
“You have to stop this negative self-talk,” she said.
Even in that momentary interaction with a friend, my deeper thoughts were making me doubt myself—You’re not interesting . . . Stop talking . . . Nobody cares . . .
I didn’t even notice this until she pointed it out to me. I’d been living in this thought cycle for months, maybe years.
It’s amazing how humans grow accustomed to toxic thoughts, situations or people; how we live with mental schemas that make us overthink, give us anxiety, and keep us from enjoying the present moment.
Enough 👏 is 👏 enough 👏
Maybe you’re afraid of being boring.
Maybe you’re afraid to take up space.
Maybe you’re self-conscious about your body image.
Maybe you’re insecure about your intelligence.
Maybe you’re intimidated by a task ahead of you.
Maybe you believe you’re unworthy of love.
Maybe you think you’re untalented.
Maybe you’re jealous of people who seem to have it all together.
We all think thoughts like this. Today, I’m calling you out on it ✋
These thoughts aren’t only toxic . . . They’re downright demonic.
1 Peter 5:8 says: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Maybe you believe in God. Maybe you don’t—(if so, I think the principles are still relevant). The God I believe in lovingly created you and me (Psalm 139:14) and wants us to embrace our full potential and reject negative self-talk (Romans 5:8).
There is a war for our minds. Most of us don’t fight in flesh and blood battles, but against our own minds. We fight the lies that infiltrate our beliefs and turn us away from the truth (Ephesians 6:12).
We have to be intentional about putting on our metaphorical armour (Ephesians 6:10), by considering each thought as it crosses our minds (2 Corinthians 10:5) and remembering who we truly are.
Sometimes, the truth feels like lies. When you grow accustomed to toxic thought patterns and behaviours, doing the opposite feels foreign and uncomfortable.
Fight that feeling, and watch the truth set you free ✨
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This reflection was originally posted to Maryellen’s @maryellencreative Instagram account.
