How to Make a Better You – Healthy Living From the Inside Out
by Nina Sabin - Healthy Tip
You know the sayings: you are what you eat; what you think about yourself is what you believe; if you believe it, it will happen (self-fulfilling prophecy). Well, healthy living is not just about eating right and exercising. It also has to do with what you believe about yourself, what you hold on to and what holds you back from having that healthy and fulfilled life. What you think about yourself, not letting go of the past, allowing bitterness take over your life, and having low self-image affects your health. Did you know many illnesses happen because of the things we internally hold on to? Those things add unnecessary stress in our lives that can cause depression, anxiety, hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, and infection.
I am a great example of a person who had to learn to let go of the past and forgive, learn to love who I am and how God designed me, and just find joy in the life I have. Because our life is a blessing and designed just for us.
I find it a gift to be able to help others learn to find out who they are, how special they are, and that they don’t have to be stuck in their circumstances. Through my own journey with depression, anxiety, and digestive issues, I have been exploring how to learn what my body needs, what I hold on to, and what I need to let go of to move forward so that I am able to have peace, joy and fulfillment in my life.
I spent time pondering over these questions: why do we get caught up in not letting go, not forgiving ourselves and others, having low self-image, comparing ourselves to others, and not seeing ourselves the way God sees us? It is because we put our thoughts in the wrong place. We allow ourselves to think things that are not true, then begin to believe them and internalize them.
Recently, I read through a five-day study plan by YouVersion Bible App called Get Out of Your Head. Each day you are challenged to become aware how your thoughts, your beliefs about yourself, your past, and feeling like a victim got in the way of having the fulfilled healthy life God planned for you.
So how do you get out of your head and heal from the inside out?
It begins with the right perspective. That sounds great, but how do you get to the right perspective? It starts with not thinking everyone and everything is out to get me, including God.
Most people have good intentions, even if it doesn’t appear that way at the time.
Another way to think about the right perspective is to take every thought captive. Be aware of what you are thinking. Ask yourself is it right? Is it true? Or am I seeing it incorrectly? It may seem difficult at first to take every thought captive, but that is actually how God has designed us to be, allowing ourselves to become aware of what we are thinking. Then not only can we take them captive, but we can change them to what is correct and true by not false thinking about ourselves, the situation, and others.
A prayer you can say to yourself about taking every thought captive is written by Jennie Allen author of Get Out of My Head study plan: God, help me break the cycle of my out-of-control thoughts. I want Your truths to invade every decision, every emotion, every thought I have. Amen.
A Bible verse too to meditate on when challenging yourself to take every thought captive is: 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The next subject Jennie focuses on in her study plan is that though we can’t see our thoughts how they control all of us. Researchers tell us that we have over 30,000 thoughts a day. That means we might think about thirty-one thoughts per waking minute. What is amazing is one thought can bring us chaos and another thought can bring us peace and comfort? Why do we tend to allow the negative one to rule over us and keep coming back? How do we stop it? The point is we can’t do it on our own. Through prayer God will help us.
Allen’s second prayer is: God, You equip me for this battle against the lies I believe about who I am and who You are. Help me never to feel a victim to my thoughts, because You are already victorious! Amen.
A Bible verse to concentrate on how you are equipped to battle against the false thoughts is: Ephesians 3:16 (ESV) ...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.
The third day's plan in Get Out of Your Head reminds us that what we think, what we believe about ourselves and others, shapes how we live. Every lie we accept is against God. Because He made us in His image. If we think we are helpless, worthless, unlovable, and not important. Then we must think God is a liar. Because God tells us we are His precious children whom He loves and cherishes. So which do you believe? You can’t believe both – it is called double-minded. Don’t let your thoughts rob you of the truth which brings you peace, joy, and fulfillment. The good news is you can reset and redirect those thoughts and no longer be double-minded. I love how Jennie puts it in her study: “We can reset and redirect them. That’s our hope. Not that we would wrestle each and every fear, but that we would allow God to take up so much space in our thinking that our fears will shrink in comparison.”
Here is her third prayer: Lord, I want You and Your truths to reign in my mind! Amen.
The Bible verse that will help us with reset and redirecting is: Romans 8:16 (NIV) The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they tell us that we are God’s children.
Day four of the study encourages us that we don’t have to live that way and battle thoughts all the time. The more we redirect our mind to God and His Spirt, the more it will receive His power and be at peace.
The fourth day's prayer is: Father, I set my mind on the things of the Spirit. I set my mind on your peace. I pray to grow more and more into the mind of Christ! Amen
The Bible verse that enhances this truth is: Romans 8:5 (ESV). Paul said that “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh” and that “those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
The last day of the study plan Jennie show us that we have the choice. She writes: Because while we may not be able to take every thought captive in every situation we face every day, we can learn to take one thought captive and, in doing so, affect every other thought to come. So what is the one thought that can successfully interrupt every negative thought pattern? It’s this: I have a choice.
When we are spiraling out of control with our thoughts, anxiety, feeling alone, cynicism, feeling stuck, and victim-hood, we have the choice to shift our minds back to God through stillness, trust, worship, gratitude, serving others, and humility. When we think new thoughts, everything changes.
The final prayer for this study plan is: God, I choose today to take every thought captive because I know You are more powerful than my thoughts, my circumstances, and my fears. Thank You for making me a new creation so that I can choose You! Amen.
A Bible verse to help you follow through with your challenge of thinking new thoughts is: 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) God gave us his Spirit. And the Spirit doesn’t make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love. He helps us control ourselves.
I continue to pray for you to challenge yourself with Healthy Living from the Inside Out. It starts with your growth in your relationship with God and keeping Him first in everything you do. Have a blessed month, remember take every thought captive, be aware, and don’t try to do it on your own, give them to God. Love you my precious friends. God Bless!
If you would like to know more on how to have Healthy Living from the Inside Out, I am available to chat and pray with you. As a healthy life coach I am able to give you the support and accountability you need to get on a healthy path you want for your life. Most of us know what we should be doing for ourselves in life, but somehow have difficulty staying on a healthy path. That is where I come in to give you the necessary, support, accountability, and tools to keep you on that path.
I am also here to help you understand how important, especially during these uncertain times, how much you need God in your life. Contact me at focusonfreedoms@gmail.com or directly on our contact page. I will respond within a 24 hours.