Updated May 2021 — It’s easy to let negative self-talk overtake your mind.  ‘Am I good enough?‘  ‘Am I smart enough?‘  ‘Am I pretty enough?‘  The list of doubts and fears can go on, but you get the idea.  With negative self-talk, you’re never good enough.  But here are seven important truths to help you renew your mind.

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A fresh start begins with a new mind.

The key to freeing our minds from negative self-talk starts with Romans 12:2.

Once we offer ourselves to God, our world is altered.  In Romans 12:2, Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.

Paul urges us not to give in to a world system that leaves God out.  Instead, we must renew our minds by surrendering to God’s way of thinking.  In renewing my mind, I discovered seven truths that I apply to my life.

#1.  A renewed mind resists negative thoughts.

A renewed mind makes a conscious decision to think like Christ.  Rather than allowing negative self-talk to take control, I’ve learned to merge my thoughts with God’s thoughts.  God never tells us we’re not good enough.  Instead, 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that, as followers of Christ, we have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.

#2.  A renewed mind requires action.

The renewing of the mind doesn’t happen by accident.  In Romans 12:2, Paul makes it clear that real transformation of the mind takes effort.  Whenever I start to think negative thoughts, I quickly start to focus on the opposite of my negative thoughts.  Instead of thinking, I’m not good enough for the assignment, I start thanking God for choosing me for the assignment.

#3.  A renewed mind embraces change.

One thing we can all count on is change.  Unfortunately, change sometimes triggers fear and anxiety.  But not all change is bad.  A renewed mind sees change as an opportunity.  Instead of seeing my job layoff as something bad, I embraced it as a new opportunity from heaven.  As a result, I started my business, Constant Communicators, and became an author.

#4.  A renewed mind doesn’t dwell on disappointments.

Life doesn’t always go the way we want.  A renewed mind accepts life’s challenges, then looks for the bright side in every dark situation. In the moments after hearing the news that my job would end, I made one of the most important decisions of my life. I turned to God. At that moment, I believed that if God allowed my job to end, then he had something better planned for me.

#5.  A renewed mind adopts a growth mindset.

A person with a growth mindset believes they can improve their skills through learning and hard work. A renewed mind is not afraid to try new things.  To transition to my new life beyond corporate America, I studied blogging and content marketing.  I revisited what I learn in grad school about literary nonfiction (see also ‘What Is Narrative Nonfiction?‘) and other types of writing.  I immediately started exploring how to build an author platform and how to build engagement on social media.

#6.  A renewed mind isn’t afraid to let go.

Sometimes things don’t work out.  A renewed mind isn’t afraid to say goodbye to a negative relationship or a toxic friendship that isn’t working.   At the same hour, I learned the company was letting me go; I decided to let my employer go, too. Not from a place of bitterness or anger. But from a place of peace.

#7.  A renewed mind speaks life into others.

Everyone can benefit from an encouraging word.  In writing my books, I hope to inspire people to move forward.  As you continue to grow, share words of wisdom with others.

How will you renew your mind?

I hope my list inspires you to develop a new mindset through positive thinking.

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