“Whatever we focus on, we give power to. Take your eyes off the negative and you will dis-empower it.” Graham Cooke
A long time ago I discovered the benefits of a somewhat structured spiritual growth plan. I’m not a super structured person by nature, but I’ve learned that even someone like me can get her act together with the right resources and a plan. If faith is an important aspect of your life, then keeping your faith from getting stagnant is vital to your overall mental well being. Staying consistently in God’s Word and in a faith community have been one of the little known ways I have stopped toxic thoughts from taking root. Another method I’ve found that helps me get to and stay in a place of growth is to surround myself with others who also want to grow and learn from resources written by smarter people than myself. Maybe you too want to grow in your faith but you aren’t quiet sure where to begin. Well, let this be your invitation to get started. You can join myself and others in moving our lives forward in a healthy way and out of the toxic thought patterns we may be living in.
What this looks in real life is, I gather online with a group of friend in a private Facebook group and we work through a Bible Study or book study. Every 6-8 weeks we pick a new study to work through. The agenda is posted in the group, we share teaching videos on Mondays and recap the week’s homeworks on Sunday evenings or whatever evening works best for the majority of attendees. We do these recaps via Zoom calls so you don’t have to be on Facebook to participate. It’s a simple way to stay connected to others and grow spiritually with intention.
Beginning in April, our group will be going through Jennie Allen’s new book Get Out Of Your Head.
Here’s a little about the book…
“Feeling stuck, frustrated, and defeated? Allen believes the solution is simple: how we think shapes how we live. We can learn to stop thoughts that leave us prey to toxic patterns like victim hood, anxiety, and distraction. Drawing on biblical teaching and neuroscience, she shows how to fight the enemies of the mind with the truth of God.”
The book has 16 chapters and we will cover the material over 6 weeks. The plan is to start in early April and I will be sharing more details on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a planner and want to go ahead and join the group you can do so by clicking here.
Now, if you want some sciency info on how to stop toxic thinking before we dive into Jennie Allen’s book, check out this article and podcast from Neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf. In the article she says to do these 4 things. Seriously, listen to the podcast. She is brilliant and you will learn so much.
1. First, identify what you need to re-conceptualize – the toxic habit, the toxic patterns that are causing you distress.
2. Second, start looking for the underlying cause of why you have this toxic habit in the first place: what’s the unconscious driver behind this mindset?
3. Thirdly, redesign the thought.
4. Last but not least, practice using the new way of thinking.
I can’t wait to get started in this new book by Jennie Allen and I look forward to you joining us.
Join the group to get the latest updates. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1142133585958167/
Blessings,
Paige
