You may not have thought much about your mindset or whether you always think positively or negatively. But the truth is a negative mindset can hold you back. When your mind is plagued with limiting beliefs, achieving happiness and success can be challenging. In this article, we will discuss how you can work to reprogram your mind for success in your marriage, work, or as a mom. Whatever the situation, you will be more joyful.

The first step in taking control of your mental state and getting rid of those negative thoughts is by recognizing the thought patterns influencing your actions and emotions. 

How the thought patterns work

In our brains every thought we have creates a neural pathway that leads to behavior. Your brain literally redesigns itself around your thoughts. These cause patterns from thoughts you think over and over. These thoughts become your new belief system.

Remember when you were a kid and you tried to learn to ride a bike? It felt like it wasn’t going to happen, that you just couldn’t do it, but as you continued to do it over and over again it became easy. You eventually got to the point where you did not have to think about it again, as soon as you got on the bike, you just took off.

With enough repetition of doing it over and over or thinking it over and over, it becomes automatic. No matter how old you get, whenever you pick up a bike, you just ride. You don’t have to think about it. Or what about a place that you have got in your car and drove to over and over again? Eventually, you get to a point where you drive to that place and don’t even think about it. Sometimes you may even say to yourself, how did I get here, I don’t even remember driving. All of this is because your mind has already created the pattern in your brain.

Step One to Reprogram Your Mind, Identify Limiting Beliefs

What we believe is the direction we will go. If you believe that you are not good enough, then that belief will hold you in bondage and keep you from moving forward and doing the things God has created you to do. A limiting belief could be thoughts that you are not good enough for your husband, or not a good mom. You might compare yourself to someone else and think you’re not as good as them, or think that you are not smart enough for a desired job.

You can challenge this belief by asking questions. Is this belief based on facts or am I listening to a lie that comes from my self doubt? We remove the limiting belief and replace it with a new belief. One that is based on the word of God. One that is based on truth and positivity. Reprogramming this belief involves replacing it with a positive affirmation, one that is scriptural.

Belief is so powerful it creates vision, it creates strength of will, it creates resilience, and belief ignites and activates. 

Step Two, Replace the Negative Thoughts

Here are some examples of replacing the thoughts to reprogram your mind.

Negative thoughts  “I can’t handle working under this pressure”

Positive replacement thought:  The word says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, therefore I am capable of managing this task.

Negative thought: I’ll never get a promotion, I’m not good enough.

Positive replacement thought: I am growing in wisdom and spiritual understanding, therefore I am improving my skills and will be successful.

Can you see how powerful changing that thought from a negative one to a positive one can be? It can change your entire outlook in that particular area.

Third Step to reprogram your mind, Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is when you feel thankful for the good things in your life. It is taking a moment to think of how blessed you are when something good happens, regardless if it is big or small. This can be one of the most powerful things we can do to shift our minds from negative to positive. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I believe it is His will for us for a purpose. If we are giving thanks, and rejoicing, it uplifts our moods. It focuses our thoughts on those good things rather than always noticing the negative around us. 

Practice gratitude as often as possible. Every morning write down 3 to 5 things you are grateful for. Before you go to bed, think of 3 things that happened that day that you are grateful for.

Consistency is the key. The more you work on thinking about things that you are grateful for, the more you reprogram your mind. Stay consistent with it, and think about it daily. Several times a day if possible to keep you from going down a negative path.

Read our latest blog post, ‘Who Still Bothers You? Exploring Lingering Offenses,’ to understand and address unresolved feelings and grudges. How these lingering offenses can affect your thoughts and your relationship.  Who Still Bothers You? Exploring Lingering Offenses