New Year, New You

With 2018 freshly in the air, a many of New Year's resolutions have been made. I spent almost every year of my life in hiding from the dreadful resolution pressure. My anti-resolution brain said something like this, "What are the odds you actually make it a whole year? You know what would be better? Let's just skip the goal setting, then if you miss it...no worries. It would be much better to avoid the whole thing rather than fail." Thus, for years went the train of thought that convinced me "No Year resolution" was the way to go.

So, when I was challenged to exit 2017 with two questions: 1. What do I need to leave behind in 2017? 2. What do I need to pick up in 2018?
I was filled with mixed emotions.

On one hand, I was up for the challenge, but on the other, I was a little hesitant. Honest, I was thinking something like this is just some glorified New Year's resolution. And in my experience, when you spend years building a wall in your thinking against something, changing that thought process is the real challenge.

So, with messy thoughts swimming about my head, I brought them all to the Lord. What He said next profoundly impacted me. (Yes, Jesus still speaks today! He has so much He wants to tell you. I dare you to quite yourself, and hear what heavenly tidbits Wisdom himself would like to download into your heart.) Here's what my best friend, Holy Spirit, whispered into my ear, "Cas, if you'll change your mindsets, you'll change your life."

And that my friends, is the wisest soul secret I'd ever heard. Actually, I had to stop dead in my tracks to ask for a repeat. So, there I was walking in circles around my little apartment replaying this life changing truth of changing your ways by changing your thinking, and asking rapid fire questions on what that actually looks like and just how to go about it.

You know, I'd actually heard things quite similar to this before. I could recite Bible verses agreeing with this truth. However, there's just something special about the moments when the Maker of the Universe and Creator of You swoop down to meet you in your thinking. In such moments, casual beliefs suddenly carry much more weight, and your heart is able to grab hold of your head knowledge. These are the moments that shape your life, better yet, change your life. So, hold tight to every dear word spoken into your spirit by the Voice of Truth.

Now that the secret "how to" for changing lives is exposed, what's next? I think it looks like more learning and more truth searching.

First, we should know what a mindset is. According to my dear pals at Merriam-Webster, mindset is defined by "a mental attitude or inclination" or "a fixed state of mind." In other words, (in CPark speak) a mindset is created when one repetitively thinks the same thought, or in a similar fashion, time and time again. It's just like walking in a field day after day until finally you create a beaten down pathway. Then, eventually, your path will become a more defined trail. In the same way, your thought patterns are creating mindsets. Some of these are obvious opinions and ways of thinking,  while others are more subconscious believes. 

So, how do we change our thinking? Well, first we must recognize areas in our thought lives where our habits are wrong, untrue, and/or harmful. In my case, they just keep popping up. So, no fear if you spot a handful or basketful of yucky thinking. I've heard of these patterns called, "stankin' thinkin'." It makes me giggle. So, find your stank thoughts, and let's get to work. 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 say, "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive."

Now, I'm no farmer or agricultural guru, so you can correct me if I'm wrong. But if you want to get rid of a trail after it's worn, I think the most efficient way would be by mowing the lot and starting from scratch. The field will then all grow back fresh. Similarly, after you find your "stankin' thinkin'," or strongholds as 2 Corinthians calls it, we cut them down. Pluck out the lies. We take those thoughts captive, while simultaneously believing we were created for this. Our weapons were designed for work such as this. 


Next, replace the old mindset with a new one! This looks a whole lot like Romans 12:2 "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We can't just go get a new mind, so this must mean get new thoughts. We'll have to think new things. 

Wendy Backlund says in order to change, "you don't need to be something different, you need to believe something different." Basically, beliefs are the very basis on which our thoughts are formed. So, to find out what you really believe, pay closer attention to your thoughts. You see, if I believe peace is my promise, I won't be pondering worrisome thoughts aimlessly. However, if I believe worry is my responsibility, I'll allow all the "what ifs" and endless possibilities to roleplay in my brain continuously. 

This is because what we dwell on is the foundation to our beliefs. Our beliefs are the stones to our mindsets. And from the walls of our mindsets we act. Returning to the peace/worry example from before, we all worry or have at some point, and we're familiar with it's outcome. Our worries never change the result of a situation. Additionally, if you've ever tried both of these mindsets, you know peace is a much lighter load to carry.

Our mindset, is our choice. So what will you think on? I think it's time we became responsible for the thoughts we allow in our head. It's time we kick out the old nasty thinking habits (ie. negativity, worry, fear, lies), and start pondering the truth. Because most of the time, "[our] circumstances aren't the problem, [our] perspective is," as Steve Backlund stated. I'd go so for as to say if we start thinking happier thoughts, we'd live happy lives. And nothing is more attractive, more desirable, or more contagious than a joy filled, carefree, giggly walking bomb. 

You see, I dove into 2018 with the words the Lord spoke to me as an arrow set in a drawn bow. I'm determined to shoot down every lofty thought and shatter stinky strongholds. As a result, I realized I had partnered with fear in my thinking towards goals. I realized no goals or dreams is a deadly dangerous place to live (Proverbs 29:18). Hence, I created my first ever New Year's resolution list! My hope is you'd join me in this lifestyle of heathy thinking. So, cheers to a new year, truer mindsets, deeper freedom, and a new you!

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he."

Proverbs 29:18