Tag: thoughts

The Illusion of Truth

Perhaps you have heard of this tendency, or perhaps it is more easily recognizable because you have lived it. It is rooted in the neuroscience behind the power of our words and basically says,

” any word we hear, read or speak daily has more truth to us… we don’t care if it is true or false, we believe it.”

Icytales.com “The Power of Words”

Neruoscience supports the power of words, both positive and negative.

Researchers, while monitoring brain responses to auditory and imagined negative words, discovered painful or negative words increase IMP (Implicit Processing). What that means is, negative words release stress and anxiety inducing hormones in subjects. Imagine that now, on a daily basis and its affects upon you, me, us. Those negative words produce not only anxiety and stress in me, but also in the way I see my world. They have built for me the lens through which I see people, events and my world.

” Positive and negative words affect us on a deep psychological level and have significant impact on the outcome of our lives.”

“The Neuroscience Behind Words” – Business Relationship Management Institute

But positive words have effects too, positive effects!

” A single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.”

Dr. Andrew Newberg- “Words Can Change Your Brain”

Dr. Newberg states that exercising positive thoughts can quite literally change one’s reality.

In fact, those positive words and ideas produce not just an illusion of truth, but a positive view of ourselves; and a positive view of ourselves, trains our brain to see good in others, because over time, our brain starts to change. (Dr. Newberg)

There is power in repetition. The more we read, speak or listen to a thing or idea, the more it controls us. Our brain uses repetitive words and phrases to search for meaning and make connections for us. That’s why –

” A repeated weak message is more powerful than a strong message heard only once.”

One single, repeated message can change your mind! (and life)

I know you beleive me. Look into your life and the words that have bombarded you. Look at their affects. Whether it be from a parent, teacher, friend, spouse, pastor…whether it be from the news, government, or CDC. ONE SINGLE, REPEATED MESSAGE CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND.

Words build present and future, but our thoughts are what become our words. That’s why I would like to challenge you to consider your thoughts. Because by exercising consistent, positive thoughts and speech, we change and how we see the world changes.

Therefore, I am calling on you to be intententional about what words you are reading, listening to and speaking. Turn off, shut out, and stop the negative words that have controlled your life. Now is the time. You can do it.

But then, your focus must be shifted to positive words and energy. Here’s a suggestion.

Write these 5 word pairs on a 3×5 card, or post-it. Heck, use several and make more than one. Then place these cards where ever you spend the most time. At your desk, on the bathroom mirror, on the car dash, near the remote control or game controller. Wherever you need to see these positive words repeatedly.

  1. Authentic and Real
  2. Honorable and Admirable
  3. Beautiful and Respectful
  4. Pure and Holy
  5. Merciful and Kind

THESE are the words and thoughts that can change your mind, your outlook and world. These repeated messages will cange the way you see yourself and others. By focusing on the positive, the good, real, honorable, beautiful, pure and kind, we will begin to believe those things. It won’t be an illusion. It is truth.

The influences in our society are repeating ideas and words that are becoming reality to some of us. What a tradegy.

But we hold between our ears the world’s most powerful computer with the ability to reframe reality. Words predict behavior. Words become thoughts. Thoughts become actions. Actions become habits.

Let’s take the first steps to begin retraining our brain – away from the negative, ugly and destructive and turning to the positive, beautiful, and hopefilled.

Now, go get those cards or post-its and start that list. 🙂 Today, a new, repeated message begins, because we are thinking on these things, speaking these things, and watching only these types of things. We are shutting out and turning off all other negative words, ideas and influences. We are choosing to focus on those things that are:

  1. Authentic and Real
  2. Honorable and Admirable
  3. Beautiful and Respectful
  4. Pure and Holy
  5. Merciful and Kind

This is no illusion of truth, this is the truth.

Cheers to you,

Debbie

Thinking of You

No one really knows what races through our thoughts and minds each day.

Some say that the majority of our thoughts are useless and unimportant ones. Perhaps though, there are creative ideas either way, thoughts are much like butterflies, ever flying around from one flower to another, rarely standing still.

Medicines are even given to some who have uncontrollable thoughts, impulses and inclinations in their minds. They actually need assistance controlling and settling their thoughts.

Science tells us the average person has between 6,200 and 80,000 thoughts a day. The numbers vary with a common thought being 72,000 thoughts a day!

If that is true, (Dr. Deepak Chopra thinks it is) that would mean you have:

  • 3,000 thoughts per hour
  • 50 thoughts per minute
  • 1 thought per second

And those thought are fast little suckers; like those fleeting butterflies.

When we receive some sort of sensory stimuli, it takes about 50 milliseconds for our brain to become aware of it. If we are to respond to that stimuli, then that takes 150 milliseconds to take action. (Sciencefocus.com) That is super fast!

I’m sure that you have found all that gobbledygook to be true, each time you sit to try to meditate, or study, or rest quietly.

Your mind and thoughts are racing, and the busier you are, it seems the faster and more distracting the thoughts. So you do your best to allow those butterfly thoughts to stop and still. It is very much like herding cats. Good luck with that.

One last little scientific detail – Psychologists say that “the psychological present” is a window of about 3 seconds. Everything else is past or future. So, the present is only 3 seconds long.

You’ve heard the term… “we need to be present” aka fully engaged in the moment, body soul, mind and spirit. Now we know that present window is only 3 seconds.

We struggle with being present for 3 seconds??!! Focusing for only 3 seconds. Really?

Yep, cuz our mind is so full of thoughts, butterflies, cats needing to be herded.

Can you imagine being the target of all of those thoughts? The object? The intended receiver of each and every one?

Try to, because you actually are.

Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore.”

Psalms 139:17-18

It is estimated that there are roughly 7.5 x 10 to the 18th power, or 7 quintrillion pieces of sand on Earth.

Now realize, that God’s thoughts to YOU are MORE than 7 quintrillion every single moment! In every 3 second, present moment 7 quintrillion thoughts are coming at you. In the next present moment, 7 quintrillion thoughts coming at you.

He is covering you, every moment with innumerable thoughts. He is present for your present moments. In every breath, every beat of your heart, every thought of you mind – He is showering you with loving thoughts. More than you can comprehend.

“How vast is the sum of them”, David said. I couldn’t agree more.

Recently, I was singing a song, who’s lyrics were :

“Is it true that you are thinking of me?” YES! It is true!

Today, be reminded that God is thinking of you, and it is AMAZING!

Over 7 quintrillion times amazing!

Cheers to you.