You Are Not Your Thoughts
You Are Not Your Thoughts – The Internal Struggle
As women, we’ve been told a unique narrative. Many of us have been told that we are better at following than leading, or better qualified for administrative roles as opposed to leadership roles such as the C-suite or board chair.
Growing up, the messages we receive, whether directly or indirectly, suggest that there are areas in our lives where we are better suited for lesser positions —those that involve less leadership, stress, thinking, strength, and money.
Unfortunately, the narrative we’ve heard over the years can become our beliefs, embedded in our thoughts from childhood. Years of replaying this message can become a heavy burden. But know this, you are not your thoughts, and you are not the narratives you are told.
Darkness and Light
As we continue exploring the importance of our mindset, it is vital to be aware of the dark thoughts that can create internal struggles on our journey.
You see, there is darkness at work today in our world, our culture, and in our minds. This darkness tells us that we aren’t enough, we don’t deserve good things in life, and we are not fit for success. These messages we allow to run through our minds repeatedly will keep us from fulfilling our purpose if we allow the thoughts to continue.
What will you choose to believe?
What thoughts will you allow to fill your mind?
The choice is yours.
Letting Go of Anything Not Serving You
I choose thoughts that will lead me to a life of victory. I no longer allow negative narratives to control my thoughts or my future. Every day is a new day, and we have the choice to renew our thoughts and let go of what no longer serves us, allowing us to live a life of abundance.
I encourage you to let go of anything that is not serving you. How? Focus and reflect on what is true.
Examine your thoughts and ask, Do the thoughts in my mind align with God’s Word? Are my thoughts harmful, dark, and discouraging?
If your thoughts are not serving you, take time to sort through your thoughts, and ask yourself, Why am I having these thoughts, and What messages can I create to better serve me?
Download and Delete
Let’s work on this. Take a moment to journal the thoughts (thought download) running through your mind. Let your thoughts flow from your mind onto paper. Don’t think about your thoughts or try to dissect your thinking. Just write. After ten to fifteen minutes of writing, read the words you wrote.
Where are your thoughts taking you?
Is this the direction you want to take?
Or, do the words you wrote clearly show you are headed in the wrong direction?
Where are You Headed?
Where do you go from here? You’ve taken the time to write out the thoughts running wild through your mind. They are not serving you, and you’re at a loss.
Breathe. Relax. Focus.
Know this. We must all retrain our minds to win the battle.
As we download and delete our dark and negative thoughts, we need to replace those thoughts with thoughts that will serve us (think of autocorrect).
To assist you with reframing your thoughts, I’ve shared five Scripture verses below that speak the truth about who we are and whose we are.
Eradicate the Negative Narratives
Spend time reading and reflecting on these verses daily. Repeat these words of truth to eliminate the negative narratives. Manage your thoughts, and you will live in victory!
You are not enough.
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
You are not worthy.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.“
You are inferior.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
You are too emotional.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…“
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;“
You are not smart enough.
“For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”
You Can Retrain Your Mind
Romans 12: 1-2 emphasizes the importance of renewing your mind daily, so take heart and meditate on God’s Word. Fill your mind with wisdom and understanding. Reflect, rethink, and repeat! This practice will build your confidence and give you the strength to reject the negative narratives running through your mind.
You Can Win the Battle
The inner struggle is real. It’s not a myth. It’s destructive. To overcome this, refresh your thoughts by filling your mind with affirmations that reflect who you are and the many beautiful qualities you possess.
And, if you’ve never taken the time to deconstruct old narratives and rewrite your story, you may feel overwhelmed and depleted before you even begin. I know. I’ve been there. The mind is powerful, and the roots that started in our heads can wrap around our hearts.
Do not fear.
Take it slow.
Remember to breathe, relax, and focus.
Be gentle with yourself as you move forward. Fill your mind with all that is good, true, and pure, and remember…
You are worthy – You are more than enough – You are chosen.
Shine on!
P.S. You have the strength to rewrite your narrative – take time to reflect, rethink, and repeat. You can and you will! And, I’m a phone call away if you need a guide to walk with you on this journey. You are not alone!
