“I am worthless.”
“I have no purpose.”
“I hate my life.”
“I can’t do anything.”
“I am a disappointment.”
Do any of those thoughts sound familiar to you? Are you struggling to find joy and peace in your life? If so, I have something to tell you that you aren’t going to like but need to hear. As long as you allow those thoughts to make themselves at home in your mind, things will only get worse. Even if you only have those thoughts occasionally, you must be careful to not allow them to fester and grow. I know this all too well as I have been there, and I don’t wish it upon anybody.
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I am an Amazon and Walmart affiliate. I may earn a small commission to fund my Disney obsession if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra and will keep me supplied with Pixie Dust and Mickey pretzels. It’s a win for everyone. I am not a medical professional, and nothing stated in this article should be mistaken for medical advice…
Messy messages
Negative thoughts are like dust bunnies; they hide in corners and are dirty. They also multiply. Just one of them can turn into hundreds more. The more negative thoughts we house in our minds, the less room there is for positive ones. If neglected for too long, those nasty critters will take over.
Like it or not, our thoughts impact what we do and how we do it. After a while, we stop struggling to feel happy because we begin to believe the lies that are festering in our heads and don’t think that we are worthy of enjoying anything. Instead of looking for alternative ways to do things we used to love doing, we give up because our demons have convinced us that we are useless and unworthy.
Clean up that mess
The first step in spring cleaning your mind of negative thoughts is to confront them. Why do you feel worthless or that you don’t have a purpose? Why do you hate your life? When you are able to recognize the source of a negative thought, you can begin the process of cleaning.
Face the source, and figure out why it occurred. Maybe you felt like you let someone you love down. Instead of allowing the negative thought to fester, think if there was something you could have done differently. While you can’t relive the moment to make it better, you may be able to improve the outcome the next time.
Each time you think of a solution or take precautions, you begin to scrub those stains out. Rid your mind of doubt and fear by washing it with courage and strength. Be forceful; tell that beast to shut its mouth! Because, believe it or not, you are strong, beautiful, worthy of love, and have a purpose.
I want to be clear that just believing that things will get better or trying to cover those dark spots by placing a rug of positivity over them won’t work. Eventually, the rug will slip, and that spot will be even harder to remove. You need to make changes in your life. Some of those changes may be in regard to what you eat, how you schedule your time, how you medicate, or who you spend time with.
Negative people are drawn together just like positive ones are. Take a good look at who you are attracting. Some people may be able to face their demons on their own, while others may need to seek professional assistance, and there is nothing wrong with that. There is no reason to feel ashamed or weak for seeking help; in fact, acknowledging that you need help is an act of courage and strength.
Accidents happen
Your life won’t ever be perfect; accidents happen. Negative thoughts are sneaky and pop into our heads without warning. However, when you are able to see more good than bad in your life, those dust bunnies will have less room to camp out in.
Seeking new and alternative ways to live or do what you want keeps you thinking in a positive manner because you are focused on winning, not failing.
Don’t let the challenges that your chronic illnesses have created fill your mind with dirt and grime. Just because we can’t have our old lives back doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy the one we have.