How I Am Learning to Renew My Mind

Sometimes I am tempted to believe that lie that I will never have healthy emotions or that I will always struggle in certain areas of life. The powerful truth that WE CAN CHANGE is something God has been working in my heart for about a year now. Romans 12:2 says that we can be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of our minds. But, I admit, I don’t always believe it. So, I keep doing those GOOD THINGS that I know are bringing me one step closer.

That renewing takes WORK. It takes being INTENTIONAL. Whatever your struggle is, whether it’s a relationship, your job, your emotions or a physical ailment, we must continually be renewing our minds with TRUTH.

I am also learning that our minds, bodies and souls are so closely tied together. Have you ever noticed that when you don’t sleep well your mood is affected? Have you noticed that when you eat certain foods you have more energy? Or less energy?

When we feel good we are more able to live out the callings on our lives – and SERVE the PEOPLE in our lives – with joy and confidence and energy.

Galatians 6:9 tells us to NOT GROW WEARY of doing good. Most of the time, quite honestly, we know the good things we need to be doing. But we are waiting to feel motivated.

Don’t wait to feel like doing the things you know you need to do. Get up and do the thing, friends!

How I Am Learning to Renew My Mind

I am asking God to help me re-direct my thoughts the MOMENT the lie pops into my head. This seems to be a huge hurdle for me. But I am getting quicker. I like to write verses down on cards and also use my phone with alarms to go off with verses too.  I am working on a list of TRUTHS that help me personally to combat the specific lies I face the most often. (In my next post I will share a list of Scriptures that are helping me personally.)

What you eat matters so much. I have noticed that when I eat a big plate of pancakes, I feel pretty yucky several hours later or the next day. Hmmmm. Not a coincidence! That doesn’t mean that all those carbs are bad for you, but that is one thing my body seems to do better without.

Move your body. Exercise – both cardio and strength training – are so very good for our mental health. When I get done exercising I have a boost of all those good hormones and I feel like I can conquer the world. So, when I went a few weeks without exercising, I noticed a big difference! Get out there and move! Even if it’s a slow start…walk around the block, whatever you need to do to get moving.

Read your Bible. But don’t stop at just reading it. Write a verse that reminds your heart of truth and carry it with you through your day. Pray it. Meditate on it. Fill your mind with truth. I encourage you to work on a list of verses that apply to your own life circumstances and truths that you need to remember.

Pray. Without ceasing. Even if all you can muster is whispering the Name of Jesus, do it. There is POWER in His Name and in turning our eyes to HIM. Tell Him your fears, your worries, your burdens. Let Him minister to your heart as only He can.

Use essential oils all day everyday. Consistency is KEY. Our sense of smell goes straight to the place in our brains where our emotions are stored. So, these tiny little molecules that are pure & high quality being working to help support healthy emotions. Unlike the toxic candles and cleaners and other things we may be breathing in, oils actually HELP our bodies to do what they were made to do. You can read more about essential oils and how they have helped me personally here. 

Find what motivates you and spend time DAILY doing that thing. For me that is reading books. For you it may be listening to podcasts or sermons. Personal growth is HUGE when it comes to renewing our minds. I read a few pages every morning and then when I have a chance during the day of good books that help me to re-focus. My very favorite books on mindset: 40 Days to a Joy Filled Life, The Happiness Dare, Battlefield of the Mind, and Victory Over Darkness.

Get good sleep. Sleep is so important. If you don’t know all the ways that a lack of sleep impacts your life, do a quick google search. After being on sleep meds for so many years, I now use a natural supplement called Immupro from Young Living to help me sleep. Waking up with energy has been a total miracle!!

Fill your body with supplements to boost all of your systems. You may have heard it said that “all disease starts in the gut…” — Hippocrates. If this is true, so many of our problems (including emotional problems) can be helped by using probiotics and taking care to put GOOD things into our bodies and not things that hurt the gut. I currently use the following supplements to support every system in my body: Ningxia Red, Omega 3, Immupro, Life 9 (our probiotic) and Multigreens.

Be careful what you fill your mind with. Choose your reading material wisely. Change the channel. Better yet, turn the TV off. Be intentional about what music you listen to. Turn on the praise music and TURN IT UP. Praise silences the enemy.

Count your blessings. Name them. Write them. Focus on them. When you are tempted with thoughts of self pity, make yourself start naming the blessings in your life. Gratitude can change a life.

Galatians 6:9 Pep Talk

Watch the video here if you’re reading this post in an email.