Our thoughts... Self-talk

I... am... a... worrier.  I’m a contemplator.  I’m a dweller.  I’m a brooder.  I’m an over-thinker.  I’m one of those people whose mind is always running and sometimes that’s NOT a good thing.

I replay conversations in my mind a hundred times.  They can even be old, REALLY old conversations.  

I hear something someone says and then I worry over it.  Are they talking about me?  Did I do something?

Even so far as to overthink my darling husband helping in the kitchen or around the house!  Does he not think I’m doing it right?  Does he think I don’t know how to do... whatever it is... Does he think I can’t do it or that I don’t know what I’m doing?

NO!  He just wants to help so that he can help make my life easier.  He’s being sweet!!

I don’t really know why I do this but... I do.  I’ve really been working on this for quite sometime.  I don’t know, maybe I’m the only person in the world who does this.  If so, please ignore and move on and don’t think I’m crazy please because I would just sit here and brood over that!  lol

The other day I wrote about words and the power they have.  I was mostly talking about words we speak aloud but as I finished writing it, I started thinking about words we don’t share with anyone but ourselves.  Words we use on ourselves.  Our inner talk or self talk.  The words we use then are so important and they have more power than ever!

Our thoughts give us our sense of self, of worth, so we need to be mindful of what we allow ourselves to think.   Proverbs 4:23 says, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”

I’ve really been working on this in my life.  I work hard at shutting out negative thoughts, thoughts that cause me to get worked up over nothing, thoughts that make me feel less than I am, thoughts that cause me to brood. I try to be more positive, when something is worrying me I try to put a positive spin it and not think in terms of worst case scenario anymore.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but the more I do it the better I feel and the better I feel the more it works.  :)  

Philippians 4:8 in the Living Bible says, “Fix your thoughts on what is good and right... Think about all you can thank God for and be glad about it.” 

Then I wondered what other translations said, yes I'm weird like that...

In the NIV it says, “8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

And in The Message, it says, “8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (My emphasis added.)

If you go back a little further, they all say not to worry.  The Message ends verses 6-7 with “It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Wow, now THAT’S a thought to dwell on for a while!  Etch it onto your heart.  I know that worry is just a part of life.  We can’t help it.  We like to be in control but when we dwell on worry, when we dwell on negative thoughts, when we dwell on worse case scenarios we let the worry, the negative, the unknown control US.  Instead, worry for a moment, say a prayer and let it go.  Do the best you can in all you can and let God handle the rest.