Fix Your Thoughts

Negativity.

Have you ever been in a phase of life where you struggle with seeing what's positive and good? We're all on this roller coaster ride called life, and I'm sure you can pinpoint some of the ups and downs you've experienced this far. Sometimes when we get into one of those down places we end up staying there much longer than we were ever intended to. When hard times hit it becomes so easy to focus on what's going wrong and losing sight of anything that is right. If you're anything like me, you let the frustration and negativity spill over into every other area of your life until one day you wonder why you are feeling so completely miserable! I want to encourage you with a couple of verses and give you some practical ways to combat negativity. 

Philippians 4:8
"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Philippians 2:14

"Do all things without complaining or arguing." 

Here are some practical tips to help you fix your thoughts on the things that are true and right in your life. 

1. Less TV and Social Media

I am a Facebook junkie, and I usually have the TV on as background noise. The amount of time I spend on FB and watching TV isn't truthfully that bad--what's bad about it is all of the NEGATIVITY that enters my heart because of it. There's nothing wrong with watching TV, but do I really need to catch the same news stories multiple times a day? Facebook is such an awesome way to connect with friends, but do I really need to spend time looking through someone else's photos and being jealous over the life it seems they live? 

2. Open the blinds or windows. 

I always feel a million times better when I let a little sunlight into our house. Being a SAHM, I stare at the same 4 walls ALLLL day long. There have been days where I'm crawling into bed and realize that I did not even see the outside world. There's nothing wrong with being at home, but if you realize you've not really seen sunshine in a few days--you need to open the windows. 

3. Go outside

It's HOT. Summer in Texas can be brutal, but spending even 5 or 10 minutes outside--breathing in the outside air and listening to the birds chirp or even the sound of traffic can remind you that there is a great big world out there, and the problems you face are only temporary. 

4. Spend time with other people. 

The only adult interaction I really have during the week is the time I spend at church. That's about 2 hours a week. Last week we were able to spend time with some friends in Granbury, and it was SO NICE! We didn't do anything fancy. We ate dinner at their house and talked for about 2 hours while our kids played. I left feeling so refreshed. Not only did I get to spend time with friends, but I also got to enjoy the scenery of a new place. Sharing your life with others is a biblical principle that can get lost in the hustle and bustle of life if we let it. We were made to have relationships!

5. Turn on some music.

Every morning when Hannah wakes up, I walk into her room and sing "This is Day the Lord Has Made" to her. I mainly sing this as a reminder to myself. This day is new. God made it. I'm choosing to rejoice and be glad in it (even when things go sideways). Listen to some praise music on your drive to work, your lunch break, and your way home. Listening to positive and life giving words will encourage you to keep on moving even when it's tough. 

These are obviously not new ideas, but they are often overlooked because they are so simple. I am not an expert by any means, and I struggle with this daily. If you are in this boat--this constant inability to enjoy anything in life--know you are not alone. We all face it at one point or another and for different reasons. 

Three things to never forget in this season: God is good. God is big. God loves you.