Are you personally victimized by your own thoughts? I know I am.

The bible reminds us to take every thought captive, and make it obedient to Christ. I always thought it was a nice sentiment, but never really understood what it meant, or how to do it, until I started learning more about the brain and behavior.

As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy coach, I teach my clients the HOW. This is where neuroscience and the Bible intersect, and I love that little wink from God!

Recently on social media, I asked what thoughts were holding you back, and you did not disappoint! I am going to use one of those thoughts to teach you HOW to take thoughts captive, and flip them for good.

Please hear me, this is NOT “just think positive!”-just flipping everything into a positive statement is toxic and unhelpful. Your brain knows it is bull, and as hard as you try to just be positive, your brain will not cooperate.

What I’m teaching you, is how to properly question your thoughts, and open your mind to a different perspective. Often, we will learn that our thought is not true, nor is it serving us (be sure to check out my blog post “Are your Limiting Beliefs Holding You Hostage?).

Today, I’m highlighting 4 simple steps to take thoughts captive;

Let’s start with a thought sent by a momma who is 9 weeks postpartum.

1. Turn your thought into a statement: “I’m frustrated that I’m frustrated with my 9 week postpartum body. Especially after all the work I’ve put in over the years.”Statement: “My body is not where I expected it to be” - feeling: Frustrated

2. Get Curious: “Is it possible my body knows something my mind does not?”

3. Think on what’s true: “my body knew how to grow an actual human being. If that is true, then it’s also true that it knows how to heal”

4. New thought: “It’s possible my body needs more time and support. I can listen close, and nourish my body to the best of my ability, and have compassion and patience as it does the work of healing”

See how this new thought creates a different kind of feeling in your body? Maybe your shoulders lowered as you exhaled. Feeling the weight of pressure to perform or be perfect lift off your shoulders. Sometimes, we just need to give ourselves a permission slip to not meet anyone’s expectations (even our own).

If you’re fighting the expectations you have on yourself, the most loving thing you can do, is decide to change the expectation. Let yourself off the mat.

Your body never has been, and never will be, a representation of your worth or value. It is a vehicle for life.

When you think differently, you feel differently, and then you will DO differently.

I also want to remind you that the feeling “frustration” is not bad. It’s actually the precursor to growth...a blog post for another time. ;-)

Want more support with the HOW of taking your thoughts captive? I’ve created a journal to help! I call it the Sound Mind Journal, and you can have it for free! You will receive an email with instructions on how to use it, along with the journal download. Grab it today!