Start With the Internal to Fix the External

If you didn’t read last week’s post, I highly suggest you go and take a look. 

Last week, I discussed how to start cleaning up your thinking; to start being aware of what is going on in your mind. 

Here is a snippet from the post:

The thoughts in your brain will create the reality of your life.  Life is made of internal and external.  The external is the direct reflection of the internal.  I suggest you start there.

As someone thinks within himself, so he is. Proverbs 23:7

So, I wanted to expand on how the internal is reflected on the external.  And, since I coach a lot on weight issues, I’ll use that as an example today.

First, if you’ve never heard of Dr. Caroline Leaf, I highly recommend her work.  She is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. Basically, she is one smart cookie. What is fascinating is that her work is confirming scripture.  Science and scripture aren’t contradictory my friends.  There is more and more science confirming what many of us already know to be true.

That topic can be for a different day. I want to share what Dr. Leaf writes in her book, Switch on Your Brain:

“As we think, we change the physical nature of our brain. As we consciously direct our thinking, we can wire out toxic patterns of thinking and replace them with healthy thoughts.”

Did you read that?  “As we consciously direct our thinking…” That means we have a choice, free will.  We have the ability to direct our thinking.  We can choose to replace unhealthy thinking with healthy thinking.  And our thinking can “change the physical nature of the brain.”  That means our physical is affected by our mental!

This is AWESOME news! 

Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  -Romans 12:2

As you see, Paul writes about this.  He talks about how you can transform into a new person by changing the way you think.  Jesus also discusses that from within evil comes and makes us “unclean” on the outside (Mark 7:20-23).   The central theme being, your mind is powerful and affects your outside.

Ok, so you see that we can change the physical by changing our thoughts.  Now, how does this apply to your weight?

For most of my clients, it takes them a while to realize that their actions aren’t the source of their problem.  Yes, you’re over eating, but WHY?  Why do you choose to always take dessert even after a big meal?  Why do you always choose the convenient fast food driving home from work? Why do you make 10 trips to the pantry and take one Oreo at a time right when the kids get home from school?

Yes, you can find ways to stop these things in the short term; like don’t buy Oreos.  But what about the next time those Oreos are in the pantry because your husband went to the grocery store?  Do you never send your husband grocery shopping again?  Do you forbid him from ever buying Oreos?

Or do you learn to manage your thoughts about food?  Do you figure out a way to not even WANT to eat them?

Because that, my friends, is the ticket. 

At first, my clients don’t believe they can do this.  They have always loved food.  Food is what brought them enjoyment, escape or pleasure for so long.  How would they ever get to a point of not wanting their favorite latte from the local coffee shop when meeting a friend?  How will they turn down the best cheesecake at their beloved restaurant?

Yes, it is hard to believe, but it can be done.  I am living proof of it.  AND, now I have clients that are living it also.

That is freedom my friends.  The freedom to not deal with all the mind drama around food.  The freedom to live at a healthy weight.  The freedom to be unrestrained physically to do the activities you enjoy.  The freedom to live life abundantly with the power of the Spirit.

So, my friends, are you ready live life abundantly?  Start with your mind. When you start there, you decide to make decisions deliberately by choosing to think about God’s promises over the enemy’s lies.  God will heap blessings upon you when you live by the Spirit.

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.  The minds of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;” Romans 8:5-6

Does this all seem too far out of your realm of possibility? Or maybe you're not sure how the internal can really make that much difference on our external... that's OK.  I was there once too!  Sign up for a FREE consultation with me and we can talk all about it and what that looks like in YOUR life.