Your Beliefs and How They Can Make You Unhappy (2)

Ever wondered why some people are happier than others? Most of us tend to put it down to the fact that these happy people have more money, better jobs, better behaved children, no children, close family, etc, etc. Sure, these factors do play a huge part in how happy a person has the potential to be. But they are not the controlling factor. It is what we believe about ourselves and the world we live it that largely determines how happy or otherwise our lives are. We have all heard the stories of the wealthy yet unhappy socialites, so it … Continue reading

Your Beliefs and How They Can Make You Unhappy

Ever wondered just why you don’t seem to enjoy life as much as other people around you? Perhaps you think they have just got better lives than you and therefore suffer less stress and worries. While we each have differing degrees of stressors in our lives, it is not necessary to become a victim of every negative event that happens to you. One of the things that separates happy people from unhappy folk is their belief system about themselves and the world around them. Of course, there are times in our lives when so many difficult life events may converge … Continue reading

Liking What You See in the Mirror

We all need to work consistently on maintaining a positive image of ourselves. We need to train our brains just as much as our bodies. As with exercise, if we don’t use it, we lose it! Once we start to slide into regularly thinking negative thoughts, we quickly find ourselves on a very slippery slope which leads to low self-esteem. How to stop the rot? Read on. 1. Accept compliments Do not minimize or negate compliments. Don’t give excuses as to why you look good or did a great job on a project. Accept these compliments with a smile. If … Continue reading

Stop talking dirty to yourself!

In Do you indulge in Stinkin’ Thinking, we looked at all the ways we tie ourselves up in knots by the way we think. Today we look at how to go about untying those knots, so that we can let go of self-limiting thoughts and behaviors and get on with our lives. • Identify negative thoughts Write them down so that you get them out of your head and down on paper where you can actually scrutinize them more carefully. Just seeing your thoughts written down can be the first step in recognizing them for what they mostly are: lies … Continue reading

Do you indulge in “Stinkin’ Thinking”?

Stinkin’ Thinkin’, otherwise known as thinking negative thoughts, is a common but unhelpful pastime. Imagine all the extra energy and creativity we could muster if we weren’t bogged down by thoughts of doom and gloom. Let’s have a look at some of the most common forms of “Stinkin’ Thinking.” • Black-and-white thinking In this form of self torture, everything is either black or white, good or bad. Common examples include: “It’s really bad that we didn’t get that house at auction.” Yes, it might be disappointing that you couldn’t afford the house, but another house will come up, and it … Continue reading

Having An Exhortive (Encouraging) Mind Toward Our Kids

“Do you pray for your child to change and then entertain all kinds of negative thoughts about him?” This sentence jumped out at me as I was reading a book by Joyce Meyer called Battlefield of the Mind. Meyer is one of those down-to-earth TV and radio ministers. I enjoy listening to her preach and reading her books. She’s one of those preachers who you know are just not in it for the money. Anyway, the book talks about how our mind and thoughts can help or hinder us. In the section where I read the above sentence she was … Continue reading

Gifts of Self-Esteem – Mary Jane Woodger

“Gifts of Self-Esteem” by Mary Jane Woodger carries a subtitle: “Obtaining Spiritual Gifts and Strengthening Self-Perception.” That, in a nutshell, describes the whole book, but it’s not just a useful volume for someone who struggles with a negative view of themselves. There are many different angles to this book and it would be a wonderful gift for anyone who is seeking to draw closer to the Lord in any aspect of their lives. We begin with a chapter called “Combatting the Ds.” The “Ds” are: Depression, Despair, Despondency, being Dismissed, Discouragement, Doubt, being Discounted, and feeling Dead. These are all … Continue reading

Stress and Digestion

Stress affects most organs of the body and the stomach is no exception. Stress can cause those familiar knots in the stomach, some types of ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, poor absorption of nutrients leading to further ill health, and oversecretion of stomach acids. If all this sounds like a pain in the gut, it is! Of course, not all these conditions are caused by stress alone, but a person who is subjected to chronic stressors in their life will almost always suffer some form of digestional difficulty. It may be a sore stomach, frequent burping, heartburn or gastric reflux, or bouts … Continue reading