028: Fix Your Thoughts for Mental Longevity

"Fix your thoughts..." - Philippians 4:8, The Bible

Think of this biblical reference having two empowering themes.

There's a primary theme of focus (the reference in context).

For our purposes here let's deal with a secondary theme explained as follows.

Whatever season of aging you're in, mental longevity demands that you keep your thoughts in a consistent state of repair and renewal (what I call the "fix").

Without the "fix," your thoughts can become stale, sterile, or stalled.

I've had to overhaul my thought-patterns countless times.

I credit my early morning time of prayer and meditation for providing me a fresh "fix" that I can't imagine living without.

The thought "fix":

• Repairs your mind for what's ahead in your life
• Renews your inputs so the impact of your legacy expands
• Replenishes your reserves so you have the capacity for growth and longevity

Practice mental renewal to repair your dominant thought process when necessary

How you think determines how you live, love, learn, relate, and pretty much everything you do.

What is your default response when you encounter challenges in your life?

• Do you blame?
• Do you deflect?
• Do you make excuses?
• Do you ignore?
• Do you escape?

Your thought process - when broken - can cripple your relationships, your growth, your influence, and ultimately your legacy unless you commit to making necessary repairs.

• Repair blaming by taking ownership of what you're responsible for.
• Repair deflection and excuses by seeking solutions.
• Repair your tendency to ignore or escape with resilience.

Monitor your mental triggers to protect your influence

This takes self awareness.

It means being somewhat hyper-sensitive to what sets you off rather than excusing yourself with “that’s just the way I am.”

When you’re easily triggered you’re capable of damaging the people you’re closest to.

And as you age your filters become less effective (be aware).

Protect your influence at all costs.

• Practice the 3 to 5 second rule. Pause for at least 3 seconds before you express a thought.
• Push the brakes when your thoughts begin to accelerate. Otherwise you risk rear-ending someone emotionally.
• Plan your responses in advance. This prevents you from randomly speaking your mind - when that won’t end well.

Still your mind to develop mental toughness

A still mind leads to a peaceful mind.

And a mind at peace is better prepared to deal with the hard stuff you encounter.

Mental toughness is a result of learning to restrain your tendency to overthink situations.

It’s easy to let your thoughts run rampant.

Still your mind instead.

Stilling your mind steels your resolve.

• Pause before you panic.
• Breathe deeply a few seconds before responding.
• Walk away when necessary.

The "thought fix" restores your influence and protects your legacy

• Life's too important for cluttered thinking.
• Your legacy is too influential to allow triggered responses.
• Resilience is too empowering for you to cave under pressure.

Press on...

Eddie