Put A Stop To Stinkin’ Thinkin’
Last week, I finished a great read called Soundtracks – The Surprising Solution to Overthinking by Jon Acuff. I have studied and taught about the book's theme for many years, so it immediately piqued my interest. Soundtracks are the messages, “tracks,” that play in our minds all day and sometimes well into the night. Unfortunately, many of those playlists are negative messages, and as we recite these memos over and over, we make them the themes of our lives.
I struggle with negative soundtracks. How about you?
Over the past few weeks, I have hit a dry spell in my writing. As I sit to write it feels like I’m in the middle of a desert, alone, thirsty, and wanting for ideas. My completed book seems like it has been lost in the publishing universe for millennia with no end in sight. Meanwhile, my mind has no problem finding one hundred other reasons why the well is dry and will never replenish.
Who pays attention to what you write anyway? What do you have to say that is worth reading? You are not making a difference in people’s lives, and you know that is always what you have desired. Etc. Etc.
In the past two years, I’ve lost over fifty pounds. I am in reasonable physical condition for a sixty-nine-year-old, but I have thirty more pounds to lose to reach my goal. Argh! I’m stuck. Extra pounds have been my nemesis since my early thirties. I guess I’ll always be this way. You knew you couldn’t do it. Just accept it. Successful people are not overweight.
Research reveals that we think as many as sixty to seventy thousand thoughts over the course of a day. But the alarming aspect of these musings is that they are negative self-talk. Researchers contend that as much as 80% of our daily thoughts are negative and play like a broken record (some of you will remember a thing called “records”), repeating themselves in a vicious cycle.
So, you read a book about eliminating negative soundtracks, and they appear like phantoms in a horror movie. Life is indeed strange, is it not?
But here you are, receiving another email. After hitting the stop, or at least pause button, on the soundtracks, I decided to write anyway.
I refuse to throw in the towel, quit, or give up. I will not crawl into a hole and curl up like a fetus and die! And I believe you should not quit either! Tough times never last; tough people do, and you are tough. So, what can we do with all those negative soundtracks?
The Bible says a few wise things about the battles between our ears. In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul presented some excellent advice.
“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 4:8)
The “fix” in this verse means someone goes steadfastly in a specific direction. For instance, at one point in Jesus’ ministry, we are told that he “set his face towards Jerusalem.” The Teacher set his sights on the Holy City and no person or thing would stop him. Paul was telling his Philippian friends they should set their thoughts or to make the direction of their thinking the following list of traits.
This exhortation assumes something important about our thinking. We can control our thoughts; they don’t have to control us. You are in the driver’s seat of your thinking. So, when the plethora of negative Nelly thinking threatens to ruin you – take control.
Paul’s teaching gives us some tools for overcoming stinkin’ thinkin’. Stop those nasty messages when a negative soundtrack starts playing by asking these questions.
Is this thought really true? More often than not, your playlist is simply not accurate, so stop lying to yourself.
Is this thought honorable or noble? Telling yourself you are lazy, stupid, fat, unqualified, etcetera are not honorable attributes. This word came into vogue in the Middle Ages when people of nobility were called honorable. Now, consider this. You are noble and honorable. You are a child of God, a citizen in good standing in the Kingdom of God and made in God’s image. Those are facts that turned you into nobility so start thinking like it. Apply the same principles to others as well.
Is this thought right and pure? If you acted on that thought, would it be the right thing to do? Would it be the best thing to do to enhance your and others' lives? For something to be pure, it must be true and undefiled, like pure vanilla extract. So, if you tell yourself, you are not very smart, but you turn to a friend and say the same thing, how would they answer? It is not likely that your friend will reply, “Yes, you are an idiot.” If they do respond in that manner, you need some new friends. Instead, your friend would frown at you and say, “That is not true, not even close.”
Is this thought lovely? We all know the answer to that question. The very nature of negative self-talk is anything but lovely. The same goes for admirable. Thinking of yourself as a loser is not lovely, is it?
Paul then concludes with another admonition to think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy, more positive messages.
Thoughts ultimately determine actions, so whatever we tell ourselves will eventually become self-fulfilling prophesies. Do you want to be the person your negative dark side is telling you?
Here’s a suggestion. First, read Jon Acuff’s book. Second, write Philippians 4:8 at the top of a page and then list the attributes Paul tells us to consider. Leave space between each and write down facts about yourself and your situations that represent each trait.
You have attributes of your personality that fit in each of the eight thought patterns Paul mentions. There are things you do regularly that fit some of the eight. Keep adding to your list and read it to yourself every day. And the next time you tell yourself you are dumb, think, That’s not very noble. It sure isn’t excellent or praiseworthy, and what’s more, it is not true. I left that kind of thinking behind yesterday.
Paul was not giving advice that people could not keep. We get to choose what we think, so let’s use that gift wisely.
Live Inspired
Don Mark
