The noticeable scraping noise coming from the back of my car had me worried. What now? Visions of an expensive repair bill haunted my head every time I started my car. What if it’s something serious? I don’t need another drain on my wallet. However, avoiding the problem wouldn’t calm my fears, so I called the shop to get an appointment. After an anxious hour of waiting, it turned out to be a minor and affordable repair. A few minutes later, I was back on the road, and I still had most of my money in my wallet.
You’ve been there, haven’t you? Worrying about what’s wrong, thinking that the worst is going to happen. Only to discover once your mechanic took it apart, the repair wasn’t worth the worry. Furthermore, getting checked out sooner rather than later helped to avoid a costlier repair.
I find this also true when negative thoughts haunt my head. The longer I let them linger, the more anxious or depressed I become. They drain all my mental and emotional strength and makes me quite miserable. Quite irritable too!
The key strategy that works for me to deal with these negative thoughts is to get them out of my head. To do this, I grab my journal or notebook and write down all the thoughts and feeling rumbling around inside my head. Not just the negative th0ughts, I write down the good ones as well.
Once I can see what I’m thinking and feeling, it becomes much easier to identify which ones are causing the problem. Much like my mechanic taking apart the rear brakes to discover what part is making all that noise.
With the worries now in front of me, I determine which one needs immediate attention. When I can’t figure this out myself, I’ll ask a trusted friend or counselor to give me their insight and recommendations. Their added advice usually reveals a solution, thus eliminating all the negative feelings. Without those negative thoughts and feelings haunting my head, I can be myself again.
It sounds simple, but it works. Try it the next time your thoughts or feelings get stuck inside your head. Writing them down in a notebook or your journal will help you see what’s wrong and right. Most of the time, you’ll find that what’s wrong, although it may take some time, is re-storable.
One final note, it’s incredible how loud those negative thoughts or feelings can be inside your head. Kind of nice to have some peace and quiet again, isn’t it?
I hope this has proved to be helpful; if it has, check out some of my other blogs like: “Free to Fail Forward” or “Loving with Laughter.”
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FYI: I also provide one-on-one coaching, if you would like to improve your relationships, or you want someone to talk to, e-mail me at ‘rturner@transformingfamilies.org’, and we’ll schedule a time to connect. My hope for you is that through these blogs, references, and resources, God will transform you from being bruised or broken to an abundantly blessed man.
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