Ever experience negative thoughts? I’m sure you do 🙂 I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t had a negative thought come through. On a regular basis.
In fact, it’s so common that scientists have studied it and found that our brains are actually hard-wired for fear and negativity! It’s called: Negativity Bias (1,2,3).
Now, if you’re like me, you likely want to declare that false. In my mind and heart, I want to shout out to that and say “No way! I’m want to be positive.”
But a better direction to really get freedom is to ask: WHY?
I used to think the devil just likes to have a hay day with us and that’s it. Well, yes, of course, there is that, but it’s even more than that.
Did you know there’s actually a POSITIVE reason we’re negatively wired?
Isn’t that a fun statement to make. Try saying that a few times over.
Think about this: when you’re a kid, how did you learn what was good or bad? Did you learn by your parents telling you or by actually testing it out? Most kids I’ve known have had to test the waters on just about anything worth learning.
“Don’t touch the stove” they say. Well, touch it once and you’ll never want to again. Why? Negativity bias. That’s right.
It’s actually set up for our SAFETY.
When you see it like this, it actually becomes a gift.
Someone’s not safe? A situation isn’t good? Your brain will ensure that you don’t forget it. It’s just trying to protect you.
Your body then has signals inside of it from your brain in order to keep you even further distanced. Ever flinched or reacted in anxiety or fear to something you simply thought about? That’s your body shooting out those signals: “stay away”.
The problem becomes when these situations either no longer are a threat—or never were—and your brain and body are still reacting to scenarios just trying to keep you safe. You’ll hear me say this regularly, but we are layered beings. We are never living just today out of today. Honestly, this one truth might set many of you free: your reactions, your choices, your words today are NOT based on your current willpower stored up in you from today.
You are the sum of your life, experiences, thoughts, dreams, desires, God’s plans, your family, what you eat, how you live, and so much more.
Whether you fail or succeed today, it’s not based on our showing up today. It’s an entire process. The good news is that by addressing these things, past, present, and future, transformation is always possible.
Even your body is transformed in every single cell over time based on what you put in it.
And this INCLUDES our thoughts, what we listen to, who we listen to, what we read, etc.
This is why we need to actually practice renewing our mind. What you put in today will affect your tomorrow. Creating new layers will be transformative. It’s never too late to start!
I know for me, negative thoughts are usually a daily occurrence. Maybe not as loud some days. Most days I don’t even pay attention to it anymore now that I’ve learned the importance of renewing my mind daily. The difference between a good day and a bad day is varying, but usually when I choose to start my day with some quality tools, I choose not to listen to those thoughts, I choose joy, love, life, and grace, and I also choose to face challenges the best of my ability as they come.
You see, we have to be INTENTIONAL about renewing our mind … on a daily basis.
If we want to experience our healthiest selves physically, emotionally, spiritually, and of course mentally, we need to be aware of what’s going on between our ears.
There is a choice. It doesn’t always feel like it. In fact, I’d bet that most of the time it doesn’t ever feel like it. But it is. Even the Bible shows God saying to His people, “I lay before you life and death. Choose life.” He knows what’s in front of us. He knows the choice. And He’s also there to help along the way.
WHY is this important?
Our thought life literally affects every area of our lives. They’ve now studied the way that a single thought can create thousands of reactions in our bodies, which then can either help our bodies to heal, or cause disease to form. Thoughts are really that powerful.
Again, thoughts affect our spiritual life, our emotional health, our mental health, and our physical health.
Socrates knew this secret when he said:
“There is no illness of the body apart from the mind.”
If it’s that powerful for one thought, and they estimate that we have between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day–this means between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute per person–imagine what 50,000 thoughts could do to either increase your health or detract from it! Wow.
Let’s shift our minds even now. There is hope. Even choosing to grab on to hope, injects dopamine and serotonin into your body and allow stress to flow out.
There’s this amazing story of one oncologist who was demonstrating successful outcomes with his chemotherapy patients. Instead of injecting them with the drug EPOH, he changed the name he told patients and injected them with HOPE. People started getting healed! Isn’t that amazing?
The thing is, renewing our mind can’t be something that we do only when we are down. When we’re down, again there is always hope, but that’s the time where we need all our “pre-training” to come to battle with us and for us. (I will also share below some “power-hour” tips that you can use if you’re already “down” that will help shift your mental atmosphere and allow the clouds to clear).
The good news is that our brains are renewable! Our thoughts CAN be transformed. Our brains are what you call, neuroplastic, meaning that they are capable of rewiring, renewing pathways, and healing.
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
Neuroplasticity refers to your brain’s near-limitless capacity for change. Nothing describes this better than a quote by Henry David Thoreau:
“A single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”
I’ve been there. I’ve experienced depression, anxiety, fear, and even unexplainable health issues that have been transformed as I renewed my mind. Mind you, I also employed prayer, nutrition, movement, laughter, water, and many other things. But I wasn’t able to truly sustain these things without daily renewing my mind. I’ve also been in seasons where I’ve tried “everything” and it wasn’t until I was intentional about my thought life that I saw shifts occur.
Those moments have been catalytic moments for me though in learning to study the body, mind, emotions, and the spirit in ways I never would have if I’d been given a simple solution.
I have fallen in love with how God has made us. We’re actually made to heal! He has designed our brains to be re-wired and renewed when given the right environment.
And then we have this verse from the wisdom of Proverbs:
“A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushedstruggles with sickness and depression.” Proverbs 17:22
So, now that we know the WHY, what are a few ways to do this?
Here are 5 helpful methods for renewing our minds:
- Speak: Declare with your mouth – Affirmations or Declarations.
- Write: Journal, and get thoughts out of your head onto paper.
- Think: Meditate on positive things, memories, or gratitude.
- Input: Listen or Read positive sources.
- Heal: Regularly employ “cleaning house” for emotional triggers.
Be intentional.
For your health. For your life.
And for all those around you that your life is meant to impact.
You are worth it.
Going Deeper:
1.) SPEAK: USE YOUR WORDS
DECLARATIONS
These are my personal favorites. In fact, I now have 100s that I’ve both collected and written over time that I keep both in the Notes app on my iPhone as well as the old fashioned 3” x 5” cards. What can I say, I grew up using those to memorize things, so it’s a habit I really enjoy.
- A powerful statement that declares life, hope, joy, love, healing, victory, overcoming, peace, strength, and more into and over your life.
AFFIRMATIONS
What’s the difference between a declaration and an affirmation?
A declaration is typically something that you want to speak out over yourself, your day, a situation, or even another person. It has life in it.
- Affirmations are used to propel you forward in a specific area.
- There are usually actions involved or statements such as I will … or I am …
- Start speaking out over your life positive affirmations like “I am going to overcome” instead of “I can never seem to …”
2.) WRITING—Getting the Words on Paper, Out of Your Head
Now, this one is often known as “journaling”, but I’d like to actually take us away from that typical mindset. Sometimes people have an idea in their head when they think of journaling.
Morning Pages
Get it ALL out. The good, the bad, the ugly. Let it flow. Let breakthroughs come. Let prayers, notes, thoughts, and solutions flow. Nothing flowing? Start with “blah blah blah”.
Morning Check-ins, 5-3-1:
- Write 5 things you’re grateful for. Take 30 seconds to close your eyes and say “thank you” for these things.
- Write 3 goals you’d like to accomplish today.
- Write 1 thing you need to believe for today to be a good day.
Evening Reviews, 3-2-1:
- Write 3: Positive things from the day
- Write 2: 1 challenge you faced and 1 solution to that challenge moving forward (1+1=2)
- Write 1: Truth you want to meditate on before going to bed.
3.) LISTEN: RECEIVE POSITIVE INPUT Regularly
Now, this is something that can be done in a variety of ways, but is very important. What you take into your mind will affect how you think and perceive the world.
Pause for a moment and think about your input:
- What’s the balance of information coming in?
- Negative or positive?
- Is it 50/50? Is it 90/10?
- Does it inspire you to overcome, to think better, to live life fully, to invite in joy?
- Or does it inspire fear, depression, sadness, anxiety,
- Maybe it’s more subtle: maybe it inspires frustration, but maybe that frustration seems legitimate (especially if it’s the news … “it is real life afterall”).
Are you reading or watching things that bring you life?
You know you better than anyone else.
- What type of input brings you joy, hope, love, excitement about the future?
- And what kind of things, when you watch or read them, bring you down and leave you feeling upset, sad, like eating your emotions, or bummed about what’s current or ahead?
Find a balance of input that is more than 60% positive and you’ll see how it affects your outlook on life, health, and even your energy levels.
4.) THINK
Meditate on positive things, memories, or gratitude.
- Get a journal and use it specifically for gratitude. Write 3-5 things in it each day that you’re grateful for and spend a few minutes really thinking about those things.
- Either in that same journal or another, write answers to things you’ve hoped, prayed, or believed for.
- Spend some time ending each day meditating/thinking on the positive things of the day.
5.) HEAL
Regularly employ “cleaning house” for emotional triggers.
Helpful ways of doing this can be:
- Journal and ask if there are any lies you’re currently believing.
- Seek out counseling, a friend, or a coach.
- When someone hurts you, immediately practice letting them go.
- Practice forgiveness daily.
If you have any questions, or would like to go deeper, feel free to schedule a free consultation here.
RESOURCES:
Negativity Bias:
1. Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development
2. Our Brain’s Negative Bias: Why our brains are more highly attuned to negative news.
3. What Is The Negativity Bias and How Can it be Overcome?
Hardwiring Happiness
5. How to Unwire Toxic Habits from Our Brains
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Kirsten Larsen is a wholeness coach, helping people experience freedom and breakthrough in body, soul, and spirit.
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