“It’s too late.”
“You’re too old.”
“That would take forever.”
“You could never do that.”
“No one else would understand.”
Have you ever thought or felt any of the above statements or do you currently believe any of these statements apply to you?
Research shows that the average person has between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day and approximately 80% of those thoughts are negative.
This statistic is astonishing especially in a world where most people present themselves as if they have it all together and that they’re living their best lives.
So why does research show one thing while we present our lives in a way that’s contrary to the research?
Also, if more than half of our thoughts are negative, what are the reasons behind this and is there hope that we can change this statistic?
I believe there is hope. In fact, I know there’s hope and that we could drastically change this statistic if we made it up in our minds to do something. It’s just going to take work and intentionality on our part.
So where do we start?
It’s been said in order to change anything for the long term; we must first understand the reasons behind a thing.
Therefore, looking at the topic of negative thoughts, we know that we aren’t born with negative thoughts, so where exactly did they come from?
I’ll share my thoughts on this and maybe you can look inward and see if any of the things I share resonate with you.
WHERE THE LIES COME FROM…
1. People in your life – I used to believe that most people have good intentions, but as I have lived and learned, I’ve discovered there are a lot of hurt people in the world and that the statements “hurt people hurt people” and “misery loves company” are very much true.
I’m not saying that people who have been hurt can’t have good intentions, but I have found it to be true that when people have unresolved hurt and trauma that they refuse to deal with, they often project their own fears and insecurities onto others.
Many people aren’t brave enough to go after their own dreams, or they give up before reaching their goals, and then when they see you chasing your dreams, they will often try to discourage you or tell you that you’re doing too much and should be content where you are.
2. Society/Culture – It’s easy to get on social media or turn on your tv and think that only certain people actually reach their dreams or do BIG things. In this celebrity focused culture, people tend to forget that celebrities were once just regular people like yourself.
Yes, Whitney Houston had an amazing talent, and Oprah Winfrey had a gift in the way she hosted and interviewed people, but neither of these women had anything that you don’t already have. It makes me a little sad when I’m talking to someone and they share their dream with me and then say, “I know this is not realistic.” Who said that??? Who gets to decide if something is realistic or not?
Of course, if you can’t carry a tune, I’m not saying you can be the next Celine Dion. However, what I am saying is if you have talents and dreams and are willing to put in the time and work- anything is possible.
3. Your enemy – People and culture can have a big impact on the way we see ourselves and others, but if we want to really get to the root of where all these negative thoughts come from, we have to look at things from a spiritual perspective.
Whether you believe or not, you have a real enemy who hates your guts, and it is his sole mission to get you to hate yourself, your life, and everything in it. He’s so cunning and deceiving that he often makes you believe that all the negative thoughts you’re thinking are not only true, but that they came from within yourself.
He causes you to believe that you are not worthy, that you are not enough, and that your life doesn’t mean a thing. But you were created in the image of God, so none of what satan says could ever be true. In fact, the bible says he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (John 8:44)
Yes, we all have thousands of thoughts going through our minds a day, and yes, the research shows that a majority of those thoughts are negative, but we don’t just have to accept what the research shows. The research could show something completely different if we’re willing to do the work.
You may be saying easier said than done, but what if I told you that I know one thing that can make this process a lot easier than you think. How do I know? Because I’ve tried this one thing and I continue to use this one thing on a daily basis.
This one scripture has been my go-to and it’s a daily reminder that I don’t have to fight these negative thoughts on my own. We actually have help that’s available to us.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5
This one scripture shows us that we do have power and control over our thoughts. It also shows us that we don’t have to just let our thoughts run rampant. We get to choose to reject any thought that goes against what God has said, and not only do we get to reject negative thoughts, but we also get to replace those thoughts with God’s truth.
I hope this gives you a little hope and helps you feel empowered to know that one you’re not alone and two that help is available. So, the next time you have a negative thought or people, culture, or satan tell you what you can’t do or what you can’t have- ask them “Who said that?” and then tell them what God says!
(P.S. If you’re asking, “how do I know what God says?” you ask Him and you read His Word and then you listen. I promise once you hear what He says and believe it; your life will never be the same.)
