At the beginning of the year we have all these wonderful intentions. We list our resolutions, and usually many of them have to do with our external self. We pledge to pay off debt or eat less junk food. All worthwhile, but what if you flip those resolutions around? Instead of listing all your negative behavior and vowing to stop, you list positive behaviors you want to start.
After all, whatever you magnify gets bigger. Focus on the negative, telling yourself a sad story in your inner dialog and…surprise, surprise! You will feel sad. List your worst fears in your mind and you’ll feel afraid.
Ponder this quote from The Art Of Thinking Brilliantly:
“Question, then. What would you do if you had no fear? What would your life be like if you had no fear? What would you attempt for God if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would you plan to do if you were convinced that God would resource you? What would your approach be to setbacks and challenges if you were empowered by God’s faithfulness?”
Have you ever played the What Would I Do If I Had No Debt game?You daydream about all the possibilities, then feel kind of sad when you think of how far off you are from that being a real life scenario. Well, what if you flipped that on its head and instead asked yourself what would you do if you had no fear? That’s actually a line of thinking that can empower you NOW. God can use that thinking TODAY to start changing your heart to all the possibilities available to you if you lean into trusting Him, and lean away from fear.
This clip from The Art Of Thinking Brilliantly is where Graham tells a story which so beautifully shows the slight adjustments to your thinking that come when you align yourself with God’s joyful and positive heart towards you and your circumstances.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8FFx7smJ0w?rel=0&w=1280&h=720]
External goals will come and go, but starting the positive habit of thinking brilliantly can change your life every day you do it, and it can be forever. It’s a slight shift in perspective, that’s all. Reach for joy and gratitude.
