Renew My Mind: A New Year’s GuideSample

This year can be so much better than last if you adopt new thought patterns. In my work as a spiritual director and therapist, I see every day how powerfully people’s thoughts either empower or derail them. It doesn’t have to be terribly difficult to make changes that have a wonderful impact on your mood and outlook, which ultimately will set the tone for your year.

The apostle Paul has some wonderful things to teach us! Romans 12:2 challenges and comforts me more than any other verse that deals with the experience of our inner world of thoughts. I love that Paul writes about the interplay between God’s role and ours in our transformation. Romans 12:2 NLT says, “...let God transform you into a new person”. What a relief to know that our transformation is ultimately God’s job and not ours! But then there is this second phrase; “...by changing the way you think”, which implies that we have a role in this transformation process as well.

For me, my automatic and instinctive thought process is to linger on what is missing, what is disappointing, and what went wrong. I must be intentional to do otherwise. This might mean that after a friend’s birthday party, my thoughts will automatically gravitate towards the people I didn’t talk to, the person who didn’t seem interested in what I was saying, the joke I didn’t get at all. I must make an intentional effort to think about the wonderful conversation I did have, the person who did listen, or the time I belly-laughed at someone’s amusing story. What I choose to focus on changes everything. I feel lighter, more grateful, and more grounded.

In the New Year, what if you resolve to be intentional about pulling out of your automatic thought processes that impact your mood? Consider adopting a new practice in the next year that will help you intentionally change the way you think. Here are some ideas:

• ·Adopt a daily practice of gratitude
• ·Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in daily imagining positive outcomes instead of catastrophic or negative outcomes
• ·Practice daily listening prayer, asking for God’s perspective on challenges you face

Each of these practices can be done in 5 minutes and could make a BIG difference in how you feel in the coming year. So, try it! What have you got to lose?