Stop and ask yourself one question now. Do you exist solely to be defeated by your own thoughts?

This may sound strange at first but so many people take on the doom and gloom view and feel as though they are the only ones who have been dealt a bad hand in this thing called life. They compare themselves to others and are always left questioning, why me?

But should we learn to fold early on and accept this type of unhealthy thinking as truth or should we work towards shifting our perspective to a more healthier one?

The concern with self defeating thoughts are that they end up feeding the problem. Rather than fueling that which you are trying to resolve, discipline your mind to focus on solutions. 

While sometimes solutions may mean very little in terms of actions, practicing acceptance and self compassion is a great skill that will promote resiliency along the way. 

Resilience is defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” In many ways, resiliency and faith go hand in hand. 

We must trust with our all that no matter what external challenges may arise, we will overcome them. Challenges will not get the best of us. In fact, they will be the stepping stones needed in order for us to rise above. 

Dr. Ernest Holmes spoke about the powerful connection between our thoughts and what happens to us.

Let’s learn to move past our own self defeating thoughts or as many say, stinking thinking, and begin to push well beyond them. 

Learning to view our struggles as opportunities can be very liberating. If you feel like most days your living solely to survive, learning to shift your perspective to a more serving one can be a healthy place for you to begin. 

Maybe our time here really is an opportunity for personal growth and as we work through our struggles, we learn to recognize just how much our own patterns of thought can add to our own distress. Once we understand this concept, we recognize how we are much more than our perceived struggles.

Dr. Ernest Holmes recognized the gift tucked away within and the importance of allowing it to spring forward. “There is a depth and meaning to your own being; if you can discover it, it will answer your own questions.”

Do not lose sight of your difficulties and the space between how you react to them. In many ways, we think and behave automatically. We have been conditioned to do such from early on and if we don’t take the time to recognize this, nothing will change. 

Change comes from within, and within us, we have infinite intelligence and power available for us to access at any time. 

Dr. Jennifer Picinic

Certified Spiritual Counselor