Combatting Negative Thinking

Today, I am taking a side step from my usual faith and fitness post for Wordy Wednesday and instead concentrating on your mental health! Because if our minds aren't in the right place, then everything else falls out of place.

If you were to ask me if the hypothetical water glass was half empty or half full, you might think I would tell you the glass is half full and you might even imagine that I would tell you it tastes like strawberries and rainbows.
However, my friends and family know me different.
In fact you be surprised to know that for me...the glass isn't even JUST half empty. No, in fact, I would probably tell you that the glass that has little to no water in it is also broken, full of shards, and poisoned. Yep, poisoned. 

This week would have been one of those weeks where I probably would have drowned in the poisoned water, but somehow, I was able to turn my negative thoughts into positive ones.
In fact, I often have THIS problem too...


If you struggle, like me, with thinking this way, I'm going to share with you how I was able to turn my crappy SUPER stressed mood into a more positive state of mind.

The truth, plain as day, is I counted my chickens before they hatched this week...and let me tell you, I was counting on some big fat juicy double sized chickens.
Well, turns out my chickens were really more of chick lings, and I really only got about 3 of the them...instead of the 6 or 7 I was counting on.

This morning as I lay awake trying to divide my 3 chickens into the right boxes, I started really getting down to business.
'Okay Lord, is this lesson suppose to teach me to stop counting my chickens? I know I have been spending to much.'
(Ding! DING! Ding!)
Crrrraaappppppp

Okay...So...first. What are my priorities? Bills need to be paid first. Second, I need to feed the man and I. Thirdly, it has it be healthy.
And everything else either needs to be pushed to next week or cancel something!

The bible verse came to me this morning as I was sorting through my list.

I read a recent devotional describing this verse. Faith is being sure of things we hope for. Sure = Certain. We are certain everything will work out. That everything little thing will be okay.
It does not lie in the act hoping itself. I am certain all of this will work out. I am sure, that even though I can't see where every little box will get marked off I know it will. That everything will be okay.

I got out paper as I waited for my breakfast and my lunch to cook this morning and started sorting out where everything needed to go. After talking with some very understanding people everything got squared away. While I'm still in the process of figuring out 3 more things, I know no matter what, that at the end of the day. I am loved, I am cared for, and what my priorities are.

It's really about breaking it down to if something is life or death.
When faced with a problem and you feel your nervous system kick into flight or flight ask yourself...is this life or death?

There's a saying I learned a LOOOONG time ago, "Is it life or death? If it's life then don't worry. If it's death you'll either go to heaven, where you won't worry. Or you'll go to hell, where you'll be TO BE BUSY shaking hands with your hands to worry."

While I hope we all have accepted Jesus & won't be going to hell, it does help me put into perspective the negative thoughts in my life that sometimes become all to consuming.
So, for now. When faced with a situation where you might think seems pretty overwhelming. Ask yourself is it life or death? Then start making a list of your priorities.
And Pray about it. (Or meditate, however you choose to look at it).

Alright all, I am off. Blessings, (I'm thinking eggs for dinner...anyone else?)
A

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