Stop Sabotaging Yourself - Bishop T.D Jakes

Tell your brain who's boss.

        

The​ ​human​ ​mind​ ​is​ ​a​ ​work​ ​of​ ​wonder.​ ​It​ ​controls​ ​the​ ​functions​ ​of​ ​our​ ​body,​ ​stores​ ​our​ ​memories, and​ ​houses​ ​feelings​ ​of​ ​happiness,​ ​fear,​ ​sorrow,​ ​and​ ​excitement.

The​ ​mind​ ​is​ ​also​ ​where​ ​our​ ​thought​ ​process​ ​originates. 

As​ ​important​ ​to​ ​daily​ ​life​ ​as​ ​our​ ​constant​ ​train​ ​of​ ​thought​ ​is,​ ​it​ ​can​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​overthinking​ ​and​ ​that can​ ​be​ ​your​ ​biggest​ ​foe. 

Overthinking​ ​is​ ​excessively​ ​processing​ ​and​ ​reprocessing​ ​your​ ​thoughts,​ ​rarely​ ​for​ ​the​ ​sake​ ​for finding​ ​a​ ​solution​ ​but​ ​instead​ ​just​ ​to​ ​dwell​ ​on​ ​scenarios​ ​in​ ​your​ ​life.​ ​This​ ​sort​ ​of​ ​pointless consideration​ ​has​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​worse​ ​morale​ ​killer​ ​you​ ​will​ ​encounter. 

A ​study​ ​by​ ​UC​ ​Santa​ ​Barbara​ ​found​ ​​compelling evidence of just that. ​In​ ​researching overthinking​ ​and​ ​how​ ​it​ ​operates​ ​with​ ​our​ ​minds,​ ​lead​ ​author​ ​of​ ​the​ ​study,​ ​Taraz​ ​Lee,​ ​found​ ​that over​thinking​ ​(referred​ ​to​ ​scientifically​ ​as​ ​explicit​ ​memory)​ ​when​ ​highly​ ​stimulated​ ​can​ ​“directly interfere​ ​with​ ​implicit​ ​memory”. 

That​ ​interference​ ​caused​ ​by​ ​overthinking​ ​can​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​self​ ​doubt.​ ​Self​ ​doubt​ ​can​ ​lead​ ​to questioning​ ​your​ ​actions,​ ​decisions​ ​and,​ ​ultimately,​ ​your​ ​worth.​ ​Overthinking​ ​appears​ ​as​ ​a​ ​voice, first​ ​a​ ​whisper​ ​but​ ​louder​ ​over​ ​time,​ ​that​ ​says​ ​you​ ​aren’t​ ​good​ ​enough,​ ​smart​ ​enough,​ ​or​ ​worth enough.​ ​It​ ​weakens​ ​your​ ​resolve​ ​and​ ​leaves​ ​you​ ​vulnerable​ ​to​ ​misguided​ ​questioning. Misguided​ ​questioning,​ ​those​ ​intrusive​ ​doubts​ ​that​ ​pop​ ​into​ ​your​ ​head​ ​when​ ​obsessively overthinking,​ ​can​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​self​ ​sabotage​ ​and​ ​can​ ​hold​ ​you​ ​back​ ​from​ ​seeking​ ​the​ ​things​ ​you​ ​want in​ ​life. 

Self​ ​sabotage​ ​is​ ​an​ ​easy​ ​trap​ ​to​ ​fall​ ​into​ ​but​ ​it​ ​does​ ​not​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​inevitable.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​make​ ​the conscious​ ​choice​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​problematic​ ​thoughts​ ​from​ ​looping​ ​continuously​ ​in​ ​your​ ​mind.​ ​​You​​ ​​can​ tell​​ ​​yourself​​ ​​that​​ ​​you​​ ​​are​​ ​​good​​ ​​enough​​ ​​and​​ ​​that​​ ​​you​​ ​​deserve​​ ​​happiness.​ ​All​​ ​​you​​ ​​have​​ ​​to​​ ​​do​​ ​​is​ ​stop​​ ​​getting​​ ​​in​​ ​​your​​ ​​own​​ ​​way. 

The​ ​easiest​ ​way​ ​to​ ​do this​ ​is​ ​by​ ​setting​ ​boundaries​ ​for​ ​yourself

Practice​ ​mindfulness-meaning​ ​try​ ​spending​ more time​ ​in​ ​the​ ​moment​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​in​ ​regrets​ ​of​ ​the​ ​past or​ ​worries​ ​for​ ​the​ ​future.​ ​A ​study by​ ​Yale University’s​ ​Department​ ​of​ ​Psychology found​ ​that​ ​mindfulness promotes positive mental health.​Turn​ ​over​thinking​ ​into​ ​a​ ​conversation between​ ​you​ ​and​ ​your​ ​brain​ ​and​ ​establish​ ​that​ ​you​ ​will​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​allow​ ​yourself​ ​to​ ​be​ ​defeated by​ ​your​ ​thoughts. 

Once​ ​you​ ​reign​ ​in​ ​your​ ​thought​ ​process,​ ​you​ ​will​ ​be​ ​on​ ​your​ ​way​ ​to​ ​a​ ​free​ ​state​ ​of​ ​mind.