“You have a thought! You have a thought! Everybody has a thought!” The voice of Oprah rang out in my head.
My journey with Metanoia Catholic began in February of 2022. I was curious to learn more about the community of those in the Catholic mindset world that Lisa Canning (The Possibility Mom) talked so fondly about on her podcasts. So, after watching a webinar, which had many hiccups due to poor weather/internet connections (spiritual warfare?), Matt promised to send a free journal to anyone who signed up within 48 hours. He even promised that yes, he would ship all the way to Canada. Yess!
In the first month in the Metanoia Catholic Academy, I learned how my thoughts dictate my emotions, which in turn lead to my actions. I no longer saw the world the same way! I saw it through my “thought-coloured glasses.”
Alessia’s Carra’s song Best Days, in which she wonders, “What if my best days are the days I’ve left behind? And what if the rest stays the same for all my life?” Girl, that’s a thought!
“I’m surrounded by idiots.” – Scar from The Lion King. That’s a thought!
I saw books, movies, songs and TedTalks as, really, an opportunity for authors, leaders and artists to share their thoughts, to challenge the beliefs of their audience and as an invitation to choose a new way of thinking about a particular subject or topic.
A thought is a sentence in our mind. So often, these sentences about ourselves, others and our world go unnoticed, unanalyzed or unquestioned. My time in the Metanoia Catholic Academy, Catholic Coach Training and the daily journal practice have given me an opportunity to shed light on my own thoughts.
I sometimes struggle with time management. In my journaling, a deeply held belief came up: “I am a last minute person.”
I realized how this thought was keeping me feeling defeated and discouraged from even attempting to accomplish tasks on time or ahead of schedule. I journaled about the virtues, vices, emotions and decisions that came up as a result of this thought. I used the tool of “equal air time” to consider the areas of life in which I do honor my time. I challenged the belief that I am a last minute person by trying on a new thought: “I am working with the Lord to become a good steward of my time.”
As I continue this transformative work, I notice my thoughts now in real time. I do not believe everything to be true and can let unuseful or unhelpful thoughts go and hold fast to the ones that will help me grow into the person God has created me to be.
Dr. Caroline Leaf shares, “When you think, you build thoughts, and these become physical substances in your brain.” What if our thoughts about ourselves, God and others reflect the Truth of the Creator and His creation?
By reflecting on and challenging our thinking, we can bring our thoughts into the light of truth and grow in loving our Lord in our journey of discipleship on this side of heaven!
