Moving from Chaotic Thinking to Thankfulness (7 Minute Prayers): Day 79

Do you ever find it hard to focus and think clearly? Does it feel like your brain is a chaotic mess?

 

On day 31 we discussed the power of thankful thinking and how to make that a habit. Today I want to look at how our minds become chaotic and how we can use deep thinking to become more thankful.

 

This issue became very personal for me recently. My family received some news that triggered a spark of chaotic thinking that quickly unraveled months of discipline and focus. I woke up one day and couldn’t string together two coherent thoughts. I wound up taking a mental health day because I literally couldn’t think well enough to do even the most basic of tasks.

 

It was around this time when I heard Dr. Caroline Leaf describe chaotic thinking as the enemy of mental health. She compares deep thinking with overthinking, “Overthinking essentially taxes your ability to think deeply about any one thing, impeding your ability to examine and understand information.”  

 

She goes on to say, “Overthinking can put your brain and body into negative stress, which can result in feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear, and may even cause panic attacks. In fact, ruminating on negative thoughts is one of the biggest predictors of mental ill-health.”

 

Wow. That described me on that day.

 

How do we move from chaotic thinking to thankful thinking?

 

I’ve discovered at least six steps we can take.

For the full show notes, see: https://maninthepew.com/gc79