I still remember my caffeine-free days with delight. Why? It's simply because I love coffee and I was able to stop drinking it. With each of my pregnancies, I stopped my morning ritual of drinking one steaming, delicious cup.
My secret to stopping was to think differently about my coffee. With each sip I repeated, "This is poison to my body and bad for my health." Eventually, I believed it! I then was able to stop drinking.
If you haven't discovered the secret, here it is. By renewing your mind each day with a certain thought, you will eventually believe it and start living by it.
Let's start with exercise, an area that I still struggle with. According to a recent study (see www.livestrong.com, This Is the Secret to Loving Exercise, According to Science, by Leah Groth, June 28, 2017) with 40 women ages 22 yo 49, some interesting facts were discovered. Two groups of women: one who liked exercising and one who didn't like exercising, were interviewed. Both groups had the same goals: to connect with others, to feel relaxed and to accomplish a set of goals.
The study concluded with this fact: the women who liked exercise had a belief that exercising would lead them to their goals, hence making them happy. The other group did not believe that exercising would lead them to their goals. So it can be boiled down to this: your belief system will help you accomplish your goals.
This wisdom is found in God's love letter in Romans 12:2, "...Be transformed by the renewing of your minds..." Don't we all want transformation? We all want to live in a state of peace and joy. Since I have a natural tendency to think negatively instead of positively, the above wisdom is life-transforming for me. I spend time each morning reading and meditating on on the words from God's love letter to me. They bring me a sense of renewal and strength each morning!
We can train our children to do likewise. Whatever they are struggling with, give them some wisdom to think on. Have them repeat it out loud. Have them write it down. Have them memorize it. It will eventually be tucked into their hearts.
Every action begins with a thought. So renew your thoughts daily and watch your transformation spring forth!
Visit me every Friday morning here at www.sparklinghope.net. I'd love to hear if you enjoyed it!