-Of course, what I am going
through is physically far from easy but, I suspect, the mental and emotional
aspect is every bit as difficult. One challenge that I face daily is trying
to
find ways to distract me from depressing, feeling-sorry-for-myself thoughts.
Reading the Bible definitely distracts me from such negative thoughts. While
that is not the primary reason that I read the Bible, it certainly puts me
in a better frame of mind to face the rest of the day. I
like to start reading the Bible as soon as I get up, around 7:30. That way,
by the time we have breakfast, I have done enough to lift my spirits, if
need be.
Praying and communicating with God is another way that I can keep myself
from negative thoughts. I have to be careful, though. Because I can't speak,
it is too easy to let my mind drift into places that it shouldn't be going.
I keep Christian music playing all day most days. While I am using my
computer, it is mostly just in the background but, when I am lying in bed in
the afternoon, that is when the music helps me to keep my
thoughts more positive than negative. I like to listen to the words as they
help to keep me from feeling down and depressed. The problem, though, is
when the music becomes too familiar. Then I have to really make myself
concentrate on what the music is saying or my thoughts will go
helter-skelter and I usually end up feeling discouraged and depressed. To
combat this, I will sometimes play a little game with myself. I listen to
the words of a song and then try to think of a scripture to match it.
Recently, thinking about what I might write in my next blog is helping to
keep my mind on what it should be on and off of "poor me". Even though I
never know precisely what I am going to write until I start writing, it does
help to think about what I might write.Usually, the Holy Spirit gives a
general topic and I like to think about specifics.
The hardest time for me to control my thoughts and avoid frustrated,
depressing thoughts is when I am in bed, either when I am waiting to go to
sleep or when I am awake in the middle or when I wake up early. At times I
do start quoting scriptures to myself but that usually doesn't last long and
I return to to struggling with my thoughts.
One of the best ways to distract my thoughts from all the negative
circumstances that I face is going to church. It is a totally different
atmosphere from
Long-term care where the focus is on God and not on the awful circumstances
that
I live with everyday. Still, though, I often struggle with depressing
thoughts at church when I see other people so easily doing things that I
can't do. Things like moving around and having conversations with other
people. Or, a
big one for me, raising their hands in worship. However, by the time the
sermon starts, I usually have my emotions in check and am listening eagerly
to what God is saying to us through the pastor.
I like to read. I have always liked to read. When I am reading, whether the
Bible or something else, I am, for the most part, oblivious to everything.
And that includes any negative, depressing, feeling-sorry-for-myself
thoughts.
Another thing that keeps negative thoughts at bay is any kind of writing. Be
it e-mails, these blogs or something else. Because I have to really
concentrate to bop out each letter, not only does it take a long time but it
also keeps my thoughts focused on what I am writing and prevents them from
wandering to places they shouldn't be going.
TV is a good distraction from depressing thoughts. Provided, of course, I
am careful about what I watch. Not only does it pass time for me, it keeps
my mind focused on whatever I am watching instead of thinking how awful my
life is.
One of the best ways of distracting my thinking is by getting visitors. I
know that one of the biggest problems I have in controlling my thoughts is
simply because I am alone so much and we tend to think too much about
ourselves when we are by ourselves. Visitors, whether they come to read to
me or just to chat, really do help as they do take my mind off of me.
Going on various outings also provide a distraction from negative thinking.
Again, they take my mind off of myself and put it on whatever I happen to be
doing at the time, and keeps me in a more positive frame of mind.
Finally, something that often distracts me from depressing thoughts is
joking around with the nurses. It is pretty hard to get depressed when you
are laughing and just being silly
Ultimately, though, whether I think negative, depressing thoughts is my
decision. Those kind of thoughts always come at one time or another but
whether or not I entertain them is entirely up to me. God is not going to
control our thoughts for us. With me, it usually goes something like this.
Something happens or I think something to upset me. I cry and get upset
until I come to my senses and MAKE myself start thinking more in line with
what God wants me to be thinking.
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