How Choosing Your Thoughts Can Transform Your Inner Well-Being

For the past few months, I've been hiking the same three-and-a-half-hour route. On most days, I meet the same people, who occasionally invite me for coffee. Among them is an elderly man who lost his wife four months ago and is still mourning her loss. 

I recognized the usual symptoms of depression: persistent sadness, feelings of hopelessness, chronic lack of energy and interest,  insomnia, withdrawing from friends, as well as sharing thoughts of desired death. His joy was connected to sharing a life with someone he loved, and now it is difficult to discover new meaning and purpose. 

You can choose your thoughts!

How Choosing Your Thoughts Can Transform Your Inner Well-Being

As he recounted his journey, I recounted mine. I explained how some decisions transformed my mindset and allowed my heart to embrace healing. A key lesson I learned on this path is that we are accountable for our inner well-being or demise. Our thoughts are our choice, and they influence our emotions. A significant turning point for me was the straightforward decision to embrace forgiveness. As with any habit, it takes time for new patterns to become established and thinking be reframed.

During one of my recent visits, I was taken aback when the man, who has a Muslim background, cited a scripture. I assume he wanted to see if my journey might benefit him, so he decided to give it a try. I'm unsure if he'll keep exploring, but I do know that everyone reaches moments in life when we need to rethink our perceptions for change to happen. 

Today, I invite you to reflect on your life and honestly assess what isn't working and where there is a lack of life.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. - Proverbs 4:23

Certain things are unchangeable, such as the loss of something or someone valuable, but this doesn't mean we should stay in a state of mourning indefinitely. By acepting loss and shifting our mindset from negative patterns to a scriptural perspective, we open our hearts to a new season that brings renewal, and everything else will fall into place. 

Finally… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

Rather than continually focusing on thoughts that bring about fear, sadness, or anger, we can opt to memorize scriptures and wield them like a knife against negative thoughts. If you're dealing with anger today, recall and reflect on scriptures that address anger; if it's sadness, memorize scriptures about joy... Whatever the issue, you can use a knife (scriptures) to cut through every negativity. While you might not be able to change the current circumstances, you can choose to embrace life, peace, and joy in every situation. Life flows from your heart, so make sure to take care of your “inner garden”.

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:11-13