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Friday, October 16, 2015

Choose Joy Day 16...Finding Joy in What Matters



When people say Its mind over matter they usually follow it with declarative statements like:

I dont get sick. I just decide not to.
Just push through it you can make it if you really want to.

If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen.
 
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but none of us has that much control. I am all about the power of positive thinking, but I have a bit of a different take on it.

Maybe instead of looking at mind over matter as a way for us to control our environment and create desired outcomes, instead of looking at it as a way to force the universe to conform to our wants, we could see it as an opportunity to use our minds to make good choices regardless of the matter.

My mind has chosen, regardless of circumstance, to find joy in the little things. I cant control the physical, I cant control the outcomes, I cant control others actions but I can control my response.

I guess thats my version of mind over matter.

I had a number of times this past week where my exhaustion and pain has hit hard. It puts me in what I call a coma sleep, where I'm aware of what's going on around me but just can't move or open my eyes for the life of me. I will literally say in my mind, Open your eyes! and nothing happens. My mind has no physical control over the matter.

But my mind does have the choice to stop struggling and fighting against it, which only exhausts me more. My mind has the choice to not be frustrated by all I could not do in those hours, but instead be grateful during the times when I am rested and my energy comes back.

My limitations continue to teach me valuable lessons. I have learned not to live under the illusion that I have control over any part of my life Im happy to leave all of that to God. But I will continue to choose to be grateful, to be happy, and to be content in my earthly dwelling.

I do this because my mind, and everything else in my life, is a gift from Him.

And that matters.

Learn more on Choosing Joy in Sara's book...Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts.
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