“I
don’t see how this will ever end. Nothing has changed so far.”
“I
really don’t know how I can get through another day. I just don’t.”
“I’ve
been searching for a solution for years. I don’t know where else to turn.”
“Maybe
I’m not worthy of a better life. I should just give up now before the situation
deteriorates further.”
“Nobody
understands my pain.”
Some of us
are crippled (I do mean mentally “crippled”) by depression, or
even temporary setbacks. We are familiar with such destructive self-talk. We
think nothing of it because we’re used to it. However, those outside of the
loop of overpowering negativity cannot comprehend the absolute compulsion to dwell
on the dark side of our circumstances.
Ben Amos
I wrote an
earlier blog
post about this author, minister, and public speaker. Please listen to his
amazing radio interview with Carol Graham here.
He was run over by a drunk driver at the age of two. He lost
a lung, spleen, and two ribs. The entire right side of his body was pretty
mangled. Here are the results of the accidents:
- Numerous surgeries
- Brain damage (to the point where he had seizures)
- Crushed reproductive system
- Bullying
- Stunted height for four years
- A prognosis of not living beyond the age of five
- Major depression
- Suicide attempts
What did
this unstoppable man do? He refused to believe any of the negative
reports. He pushed past supposed limitations to a life of victory. He’s still
alive at almost 50 years old. He has four children. Ben has also been active in
the arts and sports since an early age.
How do we win Against Pessimism?
There is
always something to worry about: politics, the cruelty of men to other men, and
the many injustices in life. Most of us can truthfully say that we are not
where we expected to be at this point in our lives.
I’m familiar
with physical and mental limitations. I have been bullied. I know what it is to
live in overpowering darkness. I comprehend the constant fight to grab onto some
speck of light with all my power. What can Ben Amos teach people in my
situation?
Our internal
dialogue is what we believe the most, no matter how supportive others may be.
If our self-talk is negative, we must change it. Others can build you up, but
if you don’t believe it, it does no good.
Our most
powerful tool is our mind. That’s why we have to believe for specific victories, including salvation.
Everything
we are is wrapped up in how we think and speak. What we think about determines
who we are: “For as he thinketh in his
heart, so is he.”—Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) Our
thoughts are who we become.
Thoughts
come from an outside source to either help us or destroy us. We can’t let them
just go where they want; we have to control them with checks and balances.
From an
unknown source: “When you buy the thought, you buy the lie.”
Specific Strategies
Put dark thoughts in jail, where they belong. We must displace negative thoughts by replacing them with positive ones. In
other words, it’s not enough to stop dwelling on pessimism; we must actively replace dark thoughts with
happy ones. That’s because negative thoughts are three times more powerful than
positive ones.
Meditate on good thoughts. Savor them
like a cow chewing the cud. Think about the positivity. Speak it out. Go over it
again and again.
Visualize. See yourself as being whole, not broken. (This is my addition…) You can
even put positive affirmations or pictures in highly visible places.
My Conclusion
The mind is
a powerful, powerful tool. It can propel us to amazing victories or keep us
mired in a pit of overwhelming defeat. Only we can choose which direction it
goes: up or down; it’s that simple.
Related
Posts
What will you choose to let onto the
stage of your mind today?
