I'm always thinking about thinking ... mainly because I understand that my thinking controls every area of my life. I know from past experiences that trying to change areas of my life without changing my thinking only produces a temporary change. Before long I revert back to my previous behavior. Why is this? Because for the most part our thinking is set on auto pilot. We just cruise along at the same altitude until we hit a little turbulence that causes us to adjust, but just like the auto pilot, once we have navigated the storm we return to our programed altitude. Often our desire to change comes from a crisis. For example, we when we get our paycheck and it's not enough to pay our bills, we talk about getting another job and promise to do something different, but once we pass through the storm we settle back into auto pilot. We do the same with our health, our relationships and dreams.
We know we want more, we know God has created us for more, but yet we stay in the comfort of auto pilot. Why? Because even though we want change, we haven't done the work to produce change where it matters most...in our thinking. As a result, we continue to repeat the same cycle expecting a different outcome, even though we know it's insanity. We offer up so many excuses as to why we don't change, but in reality all those excuses cover up the real thing holding us back ... fear!
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be so brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God: Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (Nelson Mandela receives the credit for saying this, but he was actually quoting Mariam Williamson. In the end it doesn't really matter who said it first, it's true.)
Fear causes us to accept just existing rather than living which is so far beneath the abundant life God created for us. Fear causes us to refuse to allow the God given dreams in us to become the reality we live! Fear causes us to be more comfortable with things that we should never tolerate. Fear controls our thinkink causing us to place and accept limitations as normal living. We get so focused on how hard it is to return to school that we can't even envision oursleves with the degree in hand. Our fear keeps us from seeing that millions of others have overcome the same issue...not because they are favored or more blessed, but because they eradicated the fear by dealing with their thinking. They disproved the lies established by fear by taking consistent counter actions to their fears.
If others have overcome fear to achieve their goals, then I can...you can. But the first step is deal with our thinking. Here are four things we must do to change our thinking so that we can live abundantly
1) Locate ourselves - How do we think? Spend time thinking about our thinking. Why did I respond that way? Am I limiting myself? Why do I procastinate?
2) Make a Commit to Change - We must make a quality decision that enough is enough and that we are willing to do the work necessary to produce the change we desire.
3) Surround ourselves with successful others - Our environment is always working on us so the best thing we can do is surround ourselves with others who are also committed to living abundantly
4) Develop successful systems - We need plans to make our dreams come true. Nothing just happens. If the goal is weight loss, then let's plan our meals and schedule our workout time...it won't happen if we don't. If we're going to start a business, carve out time to work on the business plan and teach others in your life to respect that time. If the goal is to grow spiritually, then make bible reading and church attendance a priority and don't read your bible when you're sleepy...you know you are going to fall asleep.
5) Do all you can and trust God to do what you can't. God wants you to succeed way more than you do. He's given you everything you need to be successful, however, He needs you to do your part. When you have done the natural...you can expect the supernatural.
Each of us is here on purpose for a purpose. Our lives are more than being consumed with uninspiring activities and reality tv. Let's be the best we can be, make a difference in our lives, those we love and the world!
