| One writer takes an intimate look into the depths of | | | | Now when fear and weakness prevails, I monitor the |
| her soul, searching for the power within. | | | | thoughts that preponderate in my mind, and when |
| Truly a powerful vessel is the mind. It can operate like | | | | victory and triumph dominates, I do the same. These |
| a well-oiled machine, producing innovative thoughts that | | | | days I make a conscious effort to be mindful of the |
| can ultimately alter situations, people and therefore the | | | | power that dwells within and the reality of what I have |
| world. But if not properly nurtured, it can also paralyze | | | | the power to think and create into existence. And |
| growth, empowerment and freedom. It can block out | | | | while I can't control what I feel, I try making six |
| truth and create a universe of confusion. The question | | | | strategies a customary practice of living in an effort to |
| that sends many, including myself on an endless quest | | | | help monitor and control my reaction to situations that |
| for knowledge and understanding seems to be how | | | | threaten to otherwise leave me mentally and |
| do we control our central processing unit so that it's | | | | emotionally battered and bruised. |
| our most precious ally, as opposed to our most vicious | | | | Stay in constant communion with God. As humans, we |
| enemy? | | | | are not equipped to handle all of life's dilemmas alone |
| The war within lies embedded in the intricate thoughts | | | | and each time that we try, we fail miserably. God |
| of the mind and what we believe about God and | | | | doesn't want us to feel like we're by ourselves during |
| ourselves. Someone once said that what won't kill you, | | | | trying times, and although it is never too late to |
| will only make you stronger. I believe that, until I have | | | | welcome Him into your heart, it's imperative not to wait |
| yet another internal battle to fight. It's often during these | | | | until the storm comes to open the lines of |
| intense struggles that threaten to leave me defeated, | | | | communication. Our strength comes from The Creator |
| that I reach my weakest point and feel vulnerable and | | | | of heaven and Earth and the more we develop and |
| exposed to every possible negative emotion there is. | | | | nurture that relationship, the more prepared we are to |
| And although we all from time to time find ourselves in | | | | face a storm with the comforting acknowledgment |
| the mires of the valley of despair, it is important and | | | | that we are not facing it alone. Embracing this truth |
| very necessary that we not stay there. | | | | can produce the kind of faith and positive thinking that |
| It was a decade ago in February 2000 that I attended | | | | will sustain you when weakness and powerlessness |
| a Black History Month program at the University of | | | | threaten to swallow you whole. |
| South Carolina. The phenomenal Susan Taylor, Editorial | | | | Monitor your thoughts. Your thoughts are an indication |
| Director of Essence Magazine was keynote speaker. | | | | of what you have the power to create. If your |
| At the time, February marked the eight-month | | | | thoughts are negative, the physical manifestation of |
| anniversary of the end of my four-year relationship | | | | them will be also. Negative thoughts give birth to |
| and I was still very much devastated. And to prove | | | | pessimistic attitudes, and the wrong attitude can |
| how much, I spent most of my waking moments | | | | ultimately impair the relationship you have with God, |
| immersed in a deep blue funk, unsure of how or even | | | | yourself and others. The next time you are in the midst |
| if I wanted to move on with my life without the man I | | | | of a bad experience, listen to what you are telling |
| loved. My mind was clouded and my thoughts were | | | | yourself. If you are bombarding yourself with |
| negative. I was living pain, I was thinking pain and | | | | abrogating thoughts, try replacing them with truthful |
| breathing pain with each word of dejection I uttered. | | | | words of encouragement. When you find yourself |
| That was the way I entered the auditorium, however, I | | | | thinking, I'm so stupid to have put myself in this situation, |
| left with a different frame of mind. | | | | replace it with, I'm smarter than this, and this situation, if |
| Her words rang out like ten thousand trumpets that | | | | nothing else can teach me how to make more |
| only I could hear. "Pain is information, but suffering is a | | | | informed decisions. |
| choice." Somehow connecting with and resurrecting | | | | Take care of your body. As hard as it may be during |
| my spirit, uniting me with the self that I had lost amid | | | | times of hardship, you owe it to your body to take |
| the depression and confusion; this powerful revelation | | | | care of it. It's amazing how merely maintaining a |
| brought forth an overwhelming sense of conviction | | | | healthy diet and exercise can influence the thoughts |
| and love. My heart opened and tears welled up in my | | | | you generate about yourself and your situation. |
| eyes in acknowledgment of the simple, yet profound | | | | Exercise can be a great stress releaser as well as |
| truth - that we have the power to choose elevation | | | | supplier of energy, and your mind and body deserves |
| and peace in the midst of misery. An intense feeling | | | | more of both! |
| overcame me; I suddenly felt strong and empowered. | | | | Surround yourself with positive people. You are not |
| Words enveloped in truth can do just that - exude | | | | only what you think, but also the company you keep. It |
| power, confidence, love, and the energy to make it all | | | | would be self-defeating to be girdled by people who |
| a daily practice of living. It was truly one of those | | | | breathe life into the very dubious thoughts that plague |
| moments that changed my life, offering clarity to my | | | | you and work to dismantle, rather than reassure your |
| situation and the power I had within to change it. | | | | progress. Welcome to stay in your life people that will |
| Spirit, mind and body collectively represents the | | | | pray for you and offer encouragement and wisdom at |
| quintessence of wholeness and serenity and mine | | | | no expense other than an open and willing heart. |
| was being destroyed and the enemy resided within. In | | | | Do something nice for someone else. You may think |
| retrospect, I understand why life for me literally stood | | | | this sounds a bit ridiculous, especially since it is you who |
| still in terms of progress and growth. I had not in my | | | | may be in need of a little extra TLC, but doing simple |
| mind given myself permission to do either: progress or | | | | things to bring about happiness for others is |
| grow. My thoughts were of hopelessness and anguish, | | | | therapeutic. When you do something nice for someone |
| altering every aspect of my life negatively and rightfully | | | | out of the kindness of your heart, it helps you to feel |
| so; we are what we think. I experienced weight gain | | | | better about yourself. It reaffirms the goodness you |
| and minor problems with my health. Headaches and | | | | possess, which in turn influences positive, reassuring |
| other ailments that I never had a problem with began a | | | | thoughts and attitudes. Send a Thinking of You card to |
| new routine. I built a fortress around myself, becoming | | | | a family member or good friend, or simply call to |
| distant with friends and those close to me, but | | | | express your love. Remember, it's always easier to |
| experience and the love of God has certainly been a | | | | give in to defeat and wallow in regret, challenge |
| good teacher. | | | | yourself by being the loving person you don't feel like |
| Knowledge and introspection teaches me that my | | | | you are until your feelings manage to catch up with |
| thoughts, direct reflections of what I am feeling, are just | | | | your actions. Reverse psychology works, even when |
| one of three areas in life in need of constant | | | | we use it on ourselves. |
| rejuvenation, followed by an amiable state of balance | | | | Relax and have fun. It would do you a world of good |
| and peace. The spirit fuels the mind, and the body is a | | | | to do something amusing and that you know you will |
| direct connection and manifestation of them both. The | | | | enjoy. Go to the movies, or make it a Blockbuster night |
| pain from my failed relationship offered me the | | | | and be entertained by a hilarious movie that will help to |
| information that God should always be most important | | | | relax your mind. If reading is what you love to do, curl |
| in my life, occupying the front seat and not the back. | | | | up with a good upbeat novel, and if you don't have the |
| Like many of my sisters and brothers in the Spirit, I had | | | | time, make it a short story, or magazine instead. |
| given my life to God, declaring Him as my personal | | | | Whatever brings you joy, do it despite how you feel. |
| Lord and Savior, but later through experiencing pain, or | | | | You deserve to be happy, and achieving that is next |
| rather information, I relearned that developing a sound | | | | to impossible if you're constantly reenacting thoughts |
| relationship with The Most High is not enough. The | | | | and behaviors that bring you pain; try doing things that |
| most vital relationship one can and should have is with | | | | are uplifting and see what happens. |
| God, and it must continuously evolve and be nurtured. It | | | | Feeling trapped by a mind gone badly is a suffocating |
| is the only way to be kept during a storm, the only | | | | experience and one that we can not afford to prolong. |
| way to wink in the face of trials that will surely come, | | | | Life is what we think and make it to be, and we have |
| and the only way to maintain focus and give birth to | | | | a responsibility to God first, and then ourselves to bring |
| positive and uplifting thoughts. He is the only way to | | | | into existence the most fulfilling life that our minds can |
| remain centered on truth. We only lose hope along | | | | imagine. Longing to be discovered, there is a power |
| with a firm grasp of rational and positive thinking when | | | | within all of us to create an existence where the sun |
| we lose faith in a God whose love is sustaining and | | | | always shines, even when it rains. |
| more than sufficient. | | | | |