MIND TALK

Mind talk: The silent coversations we continually have with ourselves.

Our coversations may be silent but our minds, working like a computer, keep track of every word, sentence, comma, dot, and paragraph. Why is this the subject of my post? It's because I've come to realize what a huge impact these conversations have on us.They determine, to a large degree, what kind of a day we'll have; whether we'll be happy or depressed, hopeful or fearful. They determine how we feel about ourselves too, and are often, if not always, the reason our lives become tangled balls of string.


What are your silent conversations like? Do you tell yourself things like:
"I can never stop smoking." "I'll never get over this loss." I'll never be able to forgive

myself." "I'll never lose this weight." "Nothing will ever change. I'll be poor forever."
OR...how about these:
"I can't ever do anything right." "I'll never amount to anything."
"My husband/wife is going to leave me. I just know it."
"I'll die alone."  "Nobody really cares what happens to me"
"What if we lose everything?" "What if God won't forgive me?"
"What if  I get cancer?" "What if I really can't change?"

It took me a long time to recognize how destructive these silent conversations can be, especially, if what we're telling ourselves is a distortion of logic. Read the words above, then slowly, say them out loud. It's easy to see, isn't it, how repeatedly saying things like this to ourselves, can drastically change the quality of our lives?

 A friend, having discussed this with me, not  long ago, asked me how one goes about stopping these conversations.  I told her we're always talking to ourselves in this manner, so I don't know that it is something we could stop, really. But now that I think about it, I probably should have told her that we can't stop the conversations, but can change the thoughts we put into our head, those negative, destructive thoughts that keep us from having inner peace, keep us from feeling good about our lives, our relationships, ourselves.
    
The saying "There is power in knowledge." is really true. When I was able to understand  (and remember), that we believe what we tell ourselves and become what we believe ourselves to be, I was able to change those mental conversations, which was really an awesome thing. It took a little practice, but was well worth the effort. It changed my life.

It takes but  a few minutes to think about what we're telling ourselves, only a few minutes to ask "Is what I'm saying to myself a true statement, or a distortion of that truth?"
   For instance, I used to tell myself "Nothing is ever going to be better. My life is always going to be what it is now." WOW! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to blow a hole into that one, does it. The truth is,  I was lying to myself. A man's life will be as good, or as bad,  as the choices he makes. It took me awhile to figure that one out.


Well, I guess I lived up to my nickname (WIndy), this morning, didn't I? I'd apologize, guys & dolls, but I kind of think you'll let me pass on this one.

Hope your corner of the world is as beautiful and serene as mine is, at least for now. We had a storm pass through last night, just caught the edge of it. There was a lot of really loud thunder and an awesome lightning display. Summer storms kind of wash away the grit in the world, washes it off of trees, grass, mountains and anything else the rain touches. Sure does leave the world smelling good- and looking brand new.
   Our summer has been rather mild so we're all thinking we're going to have a bad winter. Hope not! Last year our power went out and it was COLD! My husband and I wound up driving to Medford, to my sister's house- stayed with her till the power came back on.

LAST WORDS

Nothing is forever except God, so don't waste the moments given, that daily gift of breath. We take our lives for granted, too often forgetting that it is but a wisp of smoke, here-then gone.

Create beautiful memories today. Take a few minutes to really look at your loved ones, really listen to the sound of their voice, their laughter. Hold them a few seconds longer when you hug them ,and never forget to say "I love you."



THANKS FOR VISITING