Salt And Light

We are called to be the salt and light For The World. Matthew 5 says being salt and light is not optional, Jesus did not say you can be or you have …

Salt And Light

Are You A Over thinker?

We may not realize it, but thoughts are powerful. Your thoughts become your reality. Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life.

Most successful people have realize have learned how to harness the power of thoughts to help them achieve.

This is good news for those who want to stop overthinking. All people have patterns of behavior. These patterns develop over time based on life experiences. Patterns that are learned can also be unlearned.

Identifying what’s causing us to overthink then take a decisive action to change your mindset.

What is Overthinking

The definition of overthinking is when you think about something way to long. Yes, it’s human nature to think things through when making a decision or evaluating a situation, it becomes overthinking when you can’t get it out of your head. It happens to all of us at some point in our lifetime.

We all experience events that cause us to worry or stress us out. Some people cannot turn their worries off, and dwell on them. They worry about the future making predictions that leads us to believe that something catastrophic will happen that never will. also tending to ruminate on the past, beating ourselves up about should haves and could haves. And worry constantly over what others might think about them. And let negative self-talk build up in us.

Overthinking a decision you have to make can cause problems. Overthinking everything will make things worse than they really are.

When my husband cheated on me when we were a young couple newly married. I was devastated and began to overthink it would destroy our marriage. I was angry and hurt, overthinking all of this instead of telling how I felt nearly destroyed my our marriage and my life. It didn’t happen the way I predicted in my head. We are happier and stronger today than ever.

Tough decisions can lead to a analysis and freeze you into thinking what’s in your head is true. You’re afraid to take the wrong action, so we make no action at all.

Whether you’re a chronic over thinker or need to make a tough decision we’ve all experienced sleepless nights when our brains just won’t shut off.

Overthinking can increase symptoms of depression, elevate stress levels and cloud your judgement.

When I was struggling with my childhood and how it affected me. I heard over and over in my mind- you are worthless, stupid, you will never amount to anything. This caused my overthinking to run on overdrive. And I began to believe those words we true. After being in this thought pattern for nearly 30 years it took a toll on me, my physical, and my emotional life. It nearly destroyed my life completely. I tried to commit suicide many times, and in many cases. With the number of pills I took I should have succeeded. I nearly destroyed my marriage, my children’s lives.

It took a long time for my to realize I was not only destroying my life but everyone around me. Change your thoughts patterns and change your life. The best advice I ever received is. You have a right to change your negative thoughts to positive one’s there is no law against that. Start replacing you ugly overthinking thoughts with positive thoughts. And change your life.

How To Get The Most Out Of Life

Many of us struggle with finding happiness in the day today. We getup, go to work, and go to bed, and assume we’d be happier “if only” certain things were different. But the truth is there are always ways to enjoy your life more, and all it requires is a change in perspective and a few adjustments to your routine.

If you have trouble seeing the positives around you, you’re not alone. According to a study that was done by psychology today, our brains have a negative bias. This bias causes us to worry, fear the worst, and focus on the bed instead of the good. It has helped keep us alive as a species, since worrying about potential threats helped our ancestors survive.

So we shouldn’t get to down on ourselves if we feel we have a tendency to focus on the negative and don’t always appreciate the good things in life. We are all guilty of it. The good news is we can alter how we see the world around us and enjoy our lives more. We just have to be willing to work on it.

Here are a few tips that should help retrain your brain to see the happy things.

Take Discovery Walks

A couple days a week go for a walk. It is important to remember that there is always something new to be found in our everyday environments, go for walk and commit yourself to finding 10 new interesting things.

Take A New Class

Push yourself to try new activities, even if you think they are not for you. I once to a clay molding class, we found a picture that we wanted a mold of cutting out the picture with the molding clay underneath, then put into a casing. At first I thought I’m in no way an artist. I don’t like things like that. But, when a chose to do something different I enjoyed myself, and I could really relax while doing it.

Seek Out Laughter

There is an importance to seeking out laughter, call or text a friend that makes you laugh. Listen to a comedian in YouTube. It’s impossible to feel negative emotions while engrossed in laughter. It is uplifting, energizing and calming at the same time.

Hug Someone

I know in today’s world we are not allowed close contact with anyone. But try hugging a family member, your child, or maybe your best friend, or try asking someone if they wouldn’t mind hugging. Most people will be up for it. Studies have shown that embracing someone with a hug boosts oxytocin into our brains, meaning that it genuinely has the power to elevate our moods. So if your feeling down, don’t be afraid to get a little tender loving care and hug someone close to you.

Quit Comparing Yourself To Others

When you quit comparing yourself to everyone, as soon as you notice that your feeling “less than” or “better than” others step back a moment emotionally. And save yourself from the pains of torment your causing yourself.

Say No To More Things

If your thinking “I can’t do that” it actually works. I used to tell everyone “yes I can do that.” I have found that one of the fastest ways to feel weighed down and unhappy is by over-committing ourselves and letting too much pile up on your plate. Soon there will be a huge ball of stress going from one obligation to the next, without any time to look around and smell the flowers. Don’t let saying yes take up your personal time. Learn to say no, and Clear some time for yourself by taking a few things off your agenda. I promise your mood will improve.

Schedule Yourself some self-Indulgence Time

This goes hand in hand with the last one. Schedule yourself some down time. Whether it be the gym, drinks with friends or just watching TV. Make sure you schedule yourself some time for your own enjoyment.

Listen To Some Uplifting Music

Music can make us happier. But do it with the mentality of “am I happy yet?” Instead just let the experience take it’s course.

Get More Sleep

This is a big one for me, I have a difficult time getting enough sleep, sometimes I only sleep a few hours a night. And I get the zombie feeling during my day. There is a strong link between sleep and mood according to Medical studies. It doesn’t take a Scientific study to tell you it can be difficult to feel good when you’re sleep deprived. Our coping mechanisms go out the window after several days of minimal sleep. If your sleep deprived you can get headaches, along with other physical symptoms. You will feel like a new person once you’ve given your body the rest it needs. I’ve been working a changing my sleep pattern and it’s amazing what a simple change can make.

Christmas Blues

For many, the Christmas period is a far cry from a happy, joyful time with gifts and laughter. It’s a period with some kind of disappointment, anxiety, sadness, depression and even suicidal thoughts. Christmas is often accompanied by stressors, including alcohol, changed sleep patterns, increased financial burdens, and the lost of loved ones.

When my father passed away the holidays were a depressing time for me. Knowing that his favorite season was Christmas was especially difficult. He was a kid at heart if I didn’t wait until Christmas Eve to take his my gifts. He started opening them as soon as I sat them on his table.

I took care of my father for 10 years. When he passed I started drinking alcohol again. It was the only way I knew how to deal with his loss. Especially as the Christmas Holiday approached.

It is important for people to acknowledge the difficulties during these times. Some may need to seek professional help for Christmas depression or sadness if it’s severe. However staying active and not isolating ourselves, reducing alcohol consumption.

Most Importantly, remember that the advertising hype and perfect imagery is fictional. Don’t let it define your experience.

If your financially burdened, there are some “Do it Yourself” crafts that are pretty simple. Or even spending time with people. A gift of time is the greatest gift. Baking sweets and give them as gifts. I usually make fudge every year to give. It easy, not the expensive, and easy clean up if you clean right after it’s done, while everything is not caked on. I have a friend that makes wreathes to give as Christmas gifts. I never go a Christmas without having a new wreath on my door. Some people know how to crochet. They crochet all year long for gifts during the holiday season.

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Experience Christmas Peace In Your Life Everyday

I write this because I know peace from the fear, the panic attacks, the generational curses that were in my life. The pain and anguish that I suffered. I thought this God stuff was just a lie, I was a huge skeptic but when I began going to church because of my children. God changed my life around completely, I truly want to make my life better, but I didn’t think this was the way.

When I say peace, I don’t simply mean the absence of conflict or animosity, I mean the presence of joyful tranquility and as much richness of interpersonal communication as you are capable of; a back and forth richness and sweetness, open, free, sweet no agenda peace. Is that what we’re all after.

So let’s look at these. Let’s start with the key. There is more than one. The key to each of three relationships of peace is keeping together what the angels kept together. But, we first have to treasure the glory of God. If you just want peace you won’t get it. You cannot separate the two. Th angels won’t let you. God won’t let you. God’s purpose is to give you peace by being the most glorious person in your life.

Five times in the New Testament, God calls for peace, Jesus said “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you” (John 14:27). And Paul said Jesus Himself is our peace ( Ephesians 2:14). So if you say I want peace but I don’t want a glorious God. I want the peace, but I don’t want the sovereign Jesus, then you won’t have the peace. The angels have it right. The angels keep it together. If we want peace to rule in our lives, God must rule in our lives. He is our peace.

So the key to peace is glory to God and peace to men to keep it together. A heart bent on showing the glory of God will know the peace of God, making much of a God, displaying the beauty of God, admiring God, hallowing God’s name, and enjoying tranquility and peace and candor and openness and readiness to forgive and receptive hearts- not pushing people away, but welcoming people in, sometimes even long lost enemies. What keeps those together? Faith. Believing the promises of God bought by the blood of Jesus. And there is a key text. It is precious in my life. I love this- simple verse from Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”

I don’t think it could be much clearer. How we I enjoy joy and peace from the God of hope? How will I? What connects me to that God and His peace? In believing, by believing, through believing the promises bought by the blood of Jesus at the Cross.

May Your Christmas begin a journey to God and believing and having faith and hope Jesus died for you. And paid the price for you to have peace.

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