Comfort Zone Prison:

Most of us are inmates in a prison, and we don’t even know it. We wake up and move through our day without realizing or seeing the prison walls around us. We don’t see the handcuffs on our wrists or the bars on our prison cells. We have freedom of movement within this prison, so we think we are alive and making our own choices. But we are not.

The name of this prison is Comfort Zone. Stepping out of our comfort zone causes anxiety because the unknown is fearful. We become indifferent and say whatever will be will be. It sounds brave, but in reality, it is cowardice. We willingly lock ourselves into our cells every night, thinking we have no choice.

Our comfort zone may be anything but comfortable, but it’s what we’ve grown accustomed to, and we know how to handle it. We may not like it, but we at least know what to deal with daily. If someone asked us if we were happy, we would probably say yeah, but are you really happy? Probably not. You may not necessarily be depressed or suicidal, but you’re not overflowing with joy either.

Progress equals happiness; humans feel more alive and fulfilled if they’re growing and reaching their goals. Unfortunately, we grow stale as life progresses without us. We’re supposed to continue growing until the day we die. As long as there is breath within us, we’re supposed to continue. It’s not over until our last breath escapes our lips.

“Ambition unused declines. Strong feelings unused diminished. Faith unused decreases. It is a law” – Jim Rohn.

JCPenney said this at 92 when someone asked him how he was doing.

“Well, my eyesight is failing but my vision has never been better.”

Do you have a vision for your life? Do you have a purpose? You do have a purpose, but do you know what it is?

See, water is life-giving, but it also stagnates when it sits still too long. There’s an old proverb that says the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance. The problem is that most people aren’t diligent with their plans. Or they might plan diligently but never follow through with those plans. See, there’s a universal law called you create or disintegrate.

You take an acorn and put it on a shelf. It will disintegrate and die, and the cycle of life is over. You take that same acorn, put it in good soil, water it, and let the sun shine on it, and the cycle of life will continue, and it will grow and become a tree. It will shade all sorts of animals and become a home for all kinds of species. It will also generate thousands of acorns. You see, nature will compound your efforts, but you’ve got to try. You’ve got to plant that acorn, and it will grow. But it does take some effort on your part.

“Life doesn’t get better by chance it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn.

It’s time to break out of that prison. Step out of that comfort zone. And become what you’re supposed to be.

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October 3, 2023 0

Finding Joy after trauma

Is it possible to find joy again after suffering trauma? The simple answer is yes, but it’s not necessarily easy.

First, you must decide to find joy again. It won’t magically appear. You can’t go from victim to vitality unless you decide to.

Second, you can’t hide from it and act like nothing happened. You can’t force your loved ones to be happy. Happiness is internal. You have to design it yourself. Stuffing the pain will eventually manifest in your health and mental and physical health as well. You have to choose to be happy for yourself.

You must realize that you have a right to be happy again. It is okay to be happy. Sometimes, all we can do is put one foot in front of the other and repeat this mantra.

“Every day and every way, I’m getting better and better.”

– Norman Vincent Peele.

You see, deep within the recesses of our mind attic, we have this dusty old trunk that I call the trauma trunk. We like to hide it away and act like it doesn’t exist. But we have to open that trunk and sit with it. We can’t fight it or throw it away. It has been nailed down to the floor with extreme emotion. What happened was not okay. But you must be able to say I choose to be okay. We must sit with it, mourn the loss, and then detach the emotional response. Every time the lid is opened, we slowly rewrite the trauma story into a survivor story and a thriver one.

Don’t get sucked back into the trauma cycle. You see, every time we rehash the trauma, our body reacts the same way it did when it occurred. Our body goes through the same trauma cycle. Our brain sends out stress hormones to our body. Our body is filled with cortisol and adrenaline. Our organs start shutting down. The fight or flight response kicks in. Damage starts happening to our internal organs. Our cells stop reproducing. All of this happens every time we continue to rehash the trauma. So yes, talking about what happened is important, but after a certain point, we must get to where we can stop rehashing the story and move past it. Our body needs us to.

We need to learn to speak joy. Think of joy and let joy return to us. We need to stop watching depressing things. Stop listening to depressing music; for heaven’s sake, do not isolate.

September 26, 2023 0

Lol – Laughter Therapy

It supposedly means laugh out loud. Some people think it’s lots of love, but my daughter thinks it’s these little 2-in tall dolls with big eyes.

Whatever L.O.L. means to you, I intend to change your concept of L.O.L. before the end of this blog post.

Have you ever heard of the phrase laughter therapy? Webster’s dictionary defines it as a humor-induced hormonal intervention to reduce stress and anxiety. I bet that’s as clear as mud, right? Let me break it down for you.

Laughter therapy is intentionally making yourself laugh even when you feel like crap—knowing that your body will fill full of happy hormones and push out some of the stress hormones when you do this. It is actively taking time every day to laugh.

I have been setting an alarm on my cell phone that repeats daily. It goes off twice a day to remind me to watch something funny. I’ve been watching a lot of stand-up comedy. Some of it sucks. I’ll be honest, but some people out there just have the gift of laughter. They make me laugh so hard my face hurts. There is some complex science behind this, but I won’t bore you. I will tell you from a real-world perspective this stuff works. Every day I engage in laughter therapy, I am a whole lot better human to be around. My outlook is better. I feel better, and my day seems to go better.

You need to understand that happiness is a choice. It is not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. I believe Ralph Marston said that. We need to understand that laughing swaps the cortisol in our system with dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. So, it makes us feel better in that moment.

Let me give you some facts about laughter. Then you can decide if it will be worth your time to laugh daily.

Laughter is a natural painkiller
Laughter strengthens the heart and boosts your immune system
Laughter is contagious
Laughter works as an antidepressant
Laughter creates bonds between people and increases intimacy with others
Laughter reduces blood pressure
Laughter increases your T cells, which are the backbone of your immune system.
Laughter therapy has been known to help recovering addicts
In the case of Norman Cousins, laughter therapy helped him heal and walk out of the hospital when he was doomed to die

So, How much comedy do you watch? How many funny cat videos can you watch? Whatever makes you laugh. I won’t tell you what your sense of humor should be. I’m just saying do something to make yourself laugh at least twice daily. Your body will thank you later.

So L.O.L. people. L.O.L. at least twice a day!

Humans have a hidden superpower. With it we can both create and destroy. In most people it is raw, unfiltered and troublesome. But, if we could train it and hone it to perfection, it is powerful enough to change the world.
There’s a wise old saying that says, “for as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” What does that mean, exactly? It means you become what you think about regularly. Your consistent thoughts become your actions, and your actions change the reality around you. I know this sounds like a bunch of hoodoos, but I promise you there’s science behind it.
What if we trained our minds to create instead of to destroy? We could change the world with one mind at a time.

September 21, 2023 0

Never Lose Your Edge

I heard one of the greatest allegories at a little rural church in the Ozarks. In the middle of his message, the guest preacher dropped this little story.

Two men were out chopping wood. One was an old man. The other was young and egotistical. He challenged the old man to a race, knowing he was younger and twice as strong. Surprisingly, the old man accepted.

Laughing, the younger man tore into cutting wood as fast as he could. It was powerful to see how hard the young man worked.

The old man chopped steadily, but he would stop every little bit, sit down, and sharpen his ax again. Every time, the young man would laugh at him. The man wouldn’t say a word. He would just sharpen and then get back to work.

By the end of the day, the young man was in for a surprise. The old man had chopped almost twice as much wood as the young man. The young man was furious.

“How in the world did you beat me? I was swinging twice as hard and twice as fast.”

The older man just smiled and sat down to sharpen his ax. He let the young guy stew around for a while. Finally, the young man calmed down and asked him again.

“What did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You are the best wood chopper I’ve ever seen. I could never compete with you in strength, but I kept my ax head sharp. You must keep your edge sharp, son. Never lose your edge.”

Wow. The preacher went on to talk about other things, and I’m not quite sure how they tied into the story. But this story hit me so hard. I had to write it down and share it with you guys. What a lesson!

How many of you guys have gotten tired and stopped sharpening your edge? I know I have lately.

This girl’s going to sit down and sharpen that ax. I’m getting my edge back. How about you?

September 20, 2023 0

The Disturbing World of Viral Hashtags

Facebook has started sending me a weekly list of trending hashtags. They want me to create content around these topics because they have already gone viral.

A video needs at least 1 to 5 million views to be considered viral. Sure, I would like to jump on the bandwagon, use a viral #, and get more views on my content. But as I looked through this list, the lack of depth made me sick to my stomach.

Here’s the list of viral hashtags for August 2023:

#lovesong #mercuryretrograde #softlife #happyaugust

#madonna #inclusivitymatters#jonasbrothers #blackpink #ozuna

The #lovesong I will address in a later post. I think the world needs more love at this point. So yay! Here’s a good topic that I can work with.

#mercuryretrograde is rather interesting. It is an optical illusion in the sky that makes Mercury look as if it’s going backwards. Of course, this is taken to extremes, and now everyone is using this hashtag, but basically, it’s nothing more than horoscopes. There’s nothing in this about personal growth, loving your neighbor, and reaching out a hand to help those in need. But it’s interesting nonetheless.

#Softlife. This one has been taken to extremes. It started out as not allowing yourself to be mentally bogged down with stress and chaos. It was a way of preserving your mental health. Now, it has gotten to the point where some people say they shouldn’t have any stress, work, or problems whatsoever. It’s like everything else. Things get taken to the extreme and blown out of proportion.

The next one is #happyaugust. What is happy about August? We have people burning off the face of this planet and children missing in Maui. I don’t see anything happy about that, but in reality #happyaugust could be a way of wishing people a blessed day or month. You have to choose to be positive and choose to be happy because the world around you is in chaos. I agree with that, however we also need to remember those that are hurting in August and reach out a hand of comfort and support.

The next one is #madonna. I have never liked Madonna. Some people like her music and that’s fine, but now she is an old lady trying to stay relevant and watching her videos makes me sad. She has no self-value or she wouldn’t be putting herself out there in such a trashy, disgusting manner. #prayformadonna that would be a good hashtag to see. She’s a mess.

#Inclusivitymatters this one is another one where they have taken it to extremes. We should try to include people and not exclude so many people. That’s great. There are a lot of toxic people out there that you cannot include in your everyday life, or they will take over your existence. So again, another hashtag that’s got millions of views, and yet it’s not really helping people the way it sounds like it is.

#Jonas Brothers, #blackpink #ozuna all of these are music group for those of you that may not know. I have not found one song put out by any of these groups that impresses me, but I’m a bit old school. I like Southern Soul Gospel and a bit of 1980s Rock, so nah, these groups don’t fit in that crazy mold. I find the group Black Pink disturbing, however. Black Pink is nothing but a group of exploited little Asian girls. You’ll be disturbed, too, if you research what happens to these little girl bands as they age. I have not heard Ozuna sing so I cannot comment on him. The Jonas Brothers, I’m sorry, are just another boy band. I have nothing against these three groups, but I do have a problem with this list of hashtags. As a “Semi-Intellectual” looking for depth, I find them disturbing.

(I call myself a “semi-intellectual” because I’m also a goofball who does stupid things from time to time and my kids will be the first to verify that!)

Here are my questions:

Why isn’t #prayformaui a thing getting millions of views? Why isn’t #mauineedsourtaxdollars thing? Why aren’t there any viral hashtags about personal growth, giving back to the community, or making this a better place for our kids? Speaking of children, where is the viral hashtag for the missing kids in Maui?

Now, I know I’m supposed to be a positive thinker, and I am. The last time I put something serious on my Facebook page, I got a bunch of hate mail because I dared to say something negative.

Being positive does not mean that you cannot see reality. It means you try to dwell on positive things as much as possible. It’s to save your mental health. But I have very little positive to say about this list of hashtags. This content is getting millions of views, which I find disturbing. Our country is falling apart, our world is falling apart, and our children need help. They are being exploited, abused, and manipulated. We need to be providing something of value to help them. Instead, this crap is what we are providing. (Oh no! This positive-thinking person said crap!)

Here’s my positive note for all of you who can’t handle the fact that I, a positive thinker, can also see reality.

We need to love our neighbor. I also think we have to love our own. While I love those fighting over in Ukraine, I also grieve for those of our own. Maui is destroyed. There isn’t a word strong enough to explain how decimated this area is. I can’t imagine sending my kids to school because that was supposed to be a safe place, and now, not knowing where my children are.

We must stop worrying about trending topics filled with fluff and unimportant things. We need to start helping each other. I guarantee you that if you look out of your window, you can find hurt and pain in those people surrounding you in your everyday life. I don’t have the means to get to or help Maui. But I can pray for them, and I can help those close to me. If every person focused on helping those closest to them, everyone on this planet would be helped. That circle of loving influence would reach places like Maui and the Ukraine.

We can change the world and make it a better place. But only once we get back to loving our neighbors. That doesn’t mean you have to approve of everything they do, and they have to be your best friend. But it’s time to drop the politics and just get back to loving humanity. So, there is my post on Facebook for your pathetic list of trending hashtags.

Love, Synova

August 28, 2023 0

Finding Purpose Despite Pain

I recently heard this phrase when listening to a seminar. “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is not!” It sort of shocked me until I thought about it for a while. I had several questions and I thought you might be thinking the same thing so I outlined them in this blog post. Let me know what you think after you finish reading it. I’d love to hear from you concerning this topic.

What does that phrase mean? Isn’t suffering inevitable too? NO!

Suffering is not inevitable!

pain does not come from the difficulties in life
they come from our interpretations of those situations.
We grieve over the loss of what could have been.
We feel anxious and stressed when our mental picture of how things should be doesn’t line up with our reality. That’s where suffering actually comes from.
Think about it. The Apostle Paul didn’t suffer at the end of his life. Church legends say he ran to the chopping block. He knew that he had finished his purpose and was ready to meet death.
Now that’s a huge example of a painful experience without mental suffering!

Why is finding a purpose so important? – The Universal law of Create or Disintegrate

At the beginning of time, God put into place a set of Universal Laws to govern life on Earth. One of them is “Create or Disintegrate.”
Acorn story
(Matthew 25) Parable of Talents
(Proverbs 29:18) Without a vision people perish

Does everyone have a purpose?

Yes! God has a purpose for everyone and it’s up to us to discover it.
(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
God has a plan for everyone. He gives each of us a purpose and the talents to fulfill it.
You either use your talent or you lose it. It’s the same with humans. We must have a purpose in order to grow into the people God wants us to be. We won’t get there through apathy and procrastination.
(Jeremiah 32:19b) …to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:”

Are you DOING anything?

What is a Life’s Mission Statement?

Every major corporation has a mission statement that summarizes the aims and values of that company.
Eulogies are written after death by other people and so many of them have nothing to say other than a list of relatives.
What if you could write your life mission statement now and spend the next twenty years living up to it? What would your eulogy say then?
God has a mission statement for each of us. What if you could see it? What would it say?

Conclusion:

Finding your purpose will not take away the painful experiences of life, it will guide you through them and bring you back on course. Hope this helps you. I know it helped me.

Remember God loves you & so do I,

Synova

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Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

“What does that mean, exactly? It means you become what you think about regularly. Your consistent thoughts become your actions, and your actions change the reality around you. I know this sounds like a bunch of hoodoos, but I promise you there’s science behind it. What if we trained our minds to create instead of to destroy? We could change the world with one mind at a time.

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Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

Like a lighthouse in the storm, gratitude will guide you through to calm waters. This guided gratitude journal is a very personal project of mine and I can’t wait to share it with you all. My life hasn’t seen the sun in almost two years, but when I remember to practice gratitude my ship sails smoothly through the day. When I forget the waves crash over me and I find myself flailing about amid troubled waters. Once I catch my breath I’m again drawn back to the light of gratitude and the inner peace it brings. This journal is more than just another list of self help topics, or scientific facts. It’s a tried and true journey that I am on. I do believe I can see the clouds parting and the sun shining through . It’s time to share with you all. Like a lighthouse in the storm, gratitude will guide you through to calm waters. This guided gratitude journal is a very personal project of mine and I can’t wait to share it with you all. My life hasn’t seen the sun in almost two years, but when I remember to practice gratitude my ship sails smoothly through the day. When I forget the waves crash over me and I find myself flailing about amid troubled waters. Once I catch my breath I’m again drawn back to the light of gratitude and the inner peace it brings. This journal is more than just another list of self help topics, or scientific facts. It’s a tried and true journey that I am on. I do believe I can see the clouds parting and the sun shining through . It’s time to share with you all.

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As A Man Thinketh

“All that we achieve and all that we fail to achieve is the direct result of our own thoughts. Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power. ” ― James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

Synova writes commentary on this famous self-help book first written by James Allen in 1902. As A Man Thinketh may be in the public domain now, but it is a work for the ages. Why isn’t this information included in our schools?

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August 14, 2023 0

P.M.A. – Your Guide to Cultivating a Resilient and Radiant Mindset!

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

What is P.M.A.?

P.M.A. is an acronym for Positive Mental Attitude. This concept was first introduced in 1937 by Napoleon Hill and has been adopted as the key to success by all the greatest motivational speakers, from Tony Robbins to Zig Ziglar.

“Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles Swindoll.

Life can be difficult, and without a positive attitude, most fail miserably. We set out as young adults eager to enter the game of life. Some start a little better than others, but most get to the end of their life and are filled with regret.

There are a lot of problems created when we are taught misinterpretation of scripture at a young age. How many of you have heard that you need to give thanks because of the scripture that says in everything, give thanks?

“In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”1 Thessalonians 5:18

There is one keyword that completely changes the meaning of this verse. It’s the word “in.” It does not say “for.” So many people wonder how I should be thankful for this tragedy. By using the word “in,” the scripture says, “despite” the negative, give thanks. Meaning we may not be thankful for the traumatic event, but we should find something positive to focus on and be grateful for that.

Toxic positivity will not make anything better, either. But having an overall positive attitude will get you through the hard times much better than a negative attitude ever will.

There is a great book titled, “As a man thinketh” by James Allen. This book dives into the concept that we, as humans, become what we think about consistently. If we always think about the negative things, this will snowball into a giant mess. How many of you can relate to this? I’m sure you all can. It’s human nature to dwell on the bad and completely ignore the good. People don’t realize that your thoughts determine your emotions, your emotions determine your actions, and your actions become your reality. So thoughts truly shape your world.

Thoughts —> Emotions —> Actions —> Reality

What if you could completely change your world by developing a positive mental attitude? What would your world be?

Tony Robbins has a great saying that I have taped to my mirror. He says, “Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows.” When trying to explain this concept to my coaching clients, I ask them this question. What is life? Your life consists of energy. You only have so much of it before your eyes grow dim and life ends. When you focus on the negative, you are literally giving that negative person or situation a piece of your life. Think about it. Does that hateful coworker deserve a part of your life? Does that problem deserve a portion of it? The answer is a resounding NO!

How To Develop A Positive Mental Attitude:

Visualization
Affirmations
Gratitude
Optimize Environment
Transform Self Talk

What is visualization, and how can it help you to develop P.M.A.? Visualization is simply using your imagination to visualize what you want instead of using your imagination to blow the negative out of proportion. Take a few moments to imagine what life would be like if you could focus on the positive things most of the time. What would that do for you? How would it feel?

Create a vision board of things you want in your life, and ensure everything is positive. Don’t put stuff on there that might have any negative undertones. Here’s an example. If you want to lose weight, don’t use that phrase. But I want to be healthy, fit, and strong. Don’t write pay off debt. Instead, put financial freedom. When the board is complete, place it where you will see it daily.

As Christians, we sometimes shy away from things like affirmations, but there’s nothing in scripture to support this. In fact, it encourages us to quote scripture out loud. It says to let the weak say they are strong in another place. By using positive affirmations, we are literally reprogramming our subconscious mind. I say “Re” programming because we hear affirmations every day of our lives. Those negative affirmations from childhood still affect you today. So why not weed out the garbage and add in some positive programming?

Gratitude is the key to changing your mindset quickly and redirecting your thoughts from negative to positive.

Optimize your environment is a phrase I heard when I started studying with my multi-millionaire coach Christan Mickelsen. He talks about how you need to optimize both your physical and human environments. Who do you spend the most time around? Are they discouraging your dreams, or are they pushing you toward them?

The last way is to transform your self-talk. Tomorrow I want you to take note of everything you tell yourself. We have this voice in our heads; it can ruin your day, year, and even your life when it’s negative. Take note when your self-talk is negative and flip it to a positive thought. If you keep this up long enough, you will reprogram that inner voice to look for the positive.

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Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

There’s a wise old saying that says, “for as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” What does that mean, exactly? It means you become what you think about regularly. Your consistent thoughts become your actions, and your actions change the reality around you. I know this sounds like a bunch of hoodoos, but I promise you there’s science behind it. What if we trained our minds to create instead of to destroy? We could change the world with one mind at a time.

Preorder Your Autographed Copy Today!

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Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

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As A Man Thinketh

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The 7 Spirits of God [Sunday Bible Study]

The 7 Spirits of God

The seven spirits of God is a phrase used several times in Revelations, but it’s easy to pass over. Some people say it’s talking about the angels over the churches, but in Revelation 3:1, it makes a distinction between the two. So what are the 7 Spirits of God?
Revelations 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6
1:4“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;”
3:1“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”
4:5“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
5:6“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”

Now we know that if the Bible mentions something it is important, and if it repeats something it is even more so.
Isaiah 11:2-3
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:” (We know that this is referring to Jesus)
“And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”

The 7 Spirits of God are:

Spirit of the Lord
Spirit of Wisdom
Spirit of Understanding
Spirit of Power
Spirit of Knowledge
Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

Ok so now you might have some questions…

Does this mean there are 7 different Holy Spirits!?
Why does the Holy Spirit need the Fear of the Lord? Isn’t He Lord?
Isn’t Wisdom, Understanding, & Knowledge all the same thing?

Let’s dive right in. First things first, we need to understand that there is only one Holy Spirit. The Spirit is manifested in seven ways.
We need to jump back to Revelations 5:6 to answer the next one. If you look at the last half of that verse it says, “which are the seven Spirits of Godsent forth into all the earth.” This tells us that these manifestations of the Spirit are sent forth into the Earth for the benefit of mankind. Man needs the Fear of the Lord. The Holy Ghost does not, obviously.

Over and Over again the Bible distinguishes between wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

John 14:26

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

1 Corinthians 2:10-16

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Proverbs 2:1-7

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Colossians 1:9

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Acts 1:8

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

In my research the verse 2 Corinthians 3:17 came up. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

I wondered what this had to do with the Seven Spirits of God and then dad said, “Well when all seven are present in the church there’s liberty.”

August 6, 2023 0

10 Common Struggles People Face When Overcoming Trauma

Overcoming trauma can be a difficult process and everyone’s story is both unique and common. While you may feel alone in the chaos, remember that there are untold numbers of people facing similar problems. You are not alone. Here are some common obstacles you may face while trying to go from victim to vitality. Remember, God knows your struggles and He will guide you through.

1. Memories: Distressing memories of the traumatic event, which can be triggered by certain cues or reminders. These flashbacks can be overwhelming and make it difficult to move forward. While it’s not easy, actively engaging in thought redirection can greatly improve your life.

(See: Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine [Norman Cousins] for more information on how redirecting your thoughts can help you heal)

The Bible says to “Think on Good Things” for a reason. By redirecting our negative thoughts back to the list of good things that Scripture references, we are literally changing our biochemistry. God knows how we are designed. He knows stressful thoughts will fill our bodies with cortisol and He knows if you can redirect your thoughts onto good things our bodies will fill with happy hormones.

2. Emotional distress: Trauma can lead to intense and overwhelming emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, guilt, or shame. Managing and regulating these emotions can be a significant struggle during the healing process. Again, redirecting your thoughts to something positive will help calm the emotions. Engaging in laughter therapy, coaching, and thought replacement habits will help lessen the distress over time.

3. Hypervigilance: Trauma survivors may remain in a constant state of high alertness, always expecting danger. This makes them untrusting of other people and circumstances that most people wouldn’t notice. To help compensate for this, it’s good to build a close-knit circle of support. It doesn’t need to be big, but a few good people you can depend on.

Hypervigilance is anything but peaceful and God wants us to find peace. John 16:33 says that we can find peace IN HIM. Sometimes when overcoming trauma we can’t find peace anywhere. It’s not inside us. It’s not in the world around us. Where can we find it? Sometimes it can only be found through Him.

(“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33)

4. Avoidance and numbing: In a perfect world you wouldn’t have to deal with this, but avoiding all triggers isn’t possible. A lot of victims try to avoid everything that could possibly remind them of the trauma, but this won’t work. It also steals your life from you. In reality, the trauma stole enough from you. It doesn’t deserve any more of your life. Instead, we need to actively focus on how to react to the triggers.

We aren’t designed to sit on a shelf. Humans are designed to live. Avoiding your triggers will only lead to more heartache. This is when you need to reach out for help, not hide.

5. Trust and relationship issues: Trauma can profoundly impact one’s ability to trust others. Survivors may struggle with forming and maintaining healthy relationships, experiencing fear of abandonment or betrayal. Communication is the most important element in forming healthy relationships, unfortunately, if you haven’t been a victim of trauma you may not understand those that have. This is where it is important to seek out professional help.

6. Self-blame and guilt: Many trauma survivors grapple with feelings of self-blame and guilt, believing they are responsible for what happened or that they could have done something differently to prevent it. These feelings can hinder the healing process. Remember you do not need to take on the labels of blame, shame, and guilt. Those labels belong to the trauma and the abuser.

(See: Who Are You Pretending To Be? – Changing Subconscious Labels)

7. Negative self-perception: Trauma can significantly affect one’s self-esteem and self-worth. Survivors may develop negative beliefs about themselves, feeling damaged, unworthy, or ashamed. It’s all about changing those labels and rebuilding your self-image. You are God’s highest form of creation on this earth. Let’s rebuild your self-image into what God’s called you to be.

8. Physical health problems: Trauma can have physical manifestations, including sleep disturbances, chronic pain, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and other stress-related physical ailments. Managing and addressing these physical symptoms can be challenging.

9. Substance abuse and self-destructive behaviors: Some individuals may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse, self-harm, or other self-destructive behaviors, as a way to cope with the emotional pain and distress caused by the trauma. If you have built a tight-knit circle of friends, they will support you and help you build better-coping mechanisms.

Someone once berated my father while he was battling the addictions of his past.

“You’re just using this Jesus thing as a crutch”

Exactly. We need help sometimes and instead of using addictive substances why not turn to the Creator himself for help?

10. Rebuilding a sense of safety and control: Trauma can shatter one’s sense of safety and control over their life. Overcoming trauma involves rebuilding a sense of safety, trust, and control, which can be a significant struggle for survivors.

Hebrews 13:5 reminds us that He will never leave us or forsake us. This is a hard scripture to comprehend when we’ve suffered trauma. We ask why was this terrible thing allowed to happen. Unfortunately, this world is not governed by a just and holy God. It’s filled with wicked people who seek to harm and destroy. God promises us, however, that he will help us through the chaos down here if we ask for his help.

It is important to remember that each individual’s experience of trauma is unique, and the struggles they face may vary. Professional support from therapists, counselors, support groups, and spiritual leaders is absolutely necessary to recover from trauma. Don’t go at this alone. There’s help available.

Original Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay

Coming Soon…

Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

This journal is more than just another list of self help topics, or scientific facts. It’s a tried and true journey that I am on. I do believe I can see the clouds parting and the sun shining through . It’s time to share with you all.

Make sure you are on my mailing list so you will be notified when these new books are released.

Humans have a hidden superpower. With it we can both create and destroy. In most people it is raw, unfiltered and troublesome. But, if we could train it and hone it to perfection, it is powerful enough to change the world.

What if we trained our minds to create instead of to destroy? We could change the world with one mind at a time.

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July 14, 2023 0

“The Power of Paradigms” – What is a Paradigm & How to change them

what is paradigm? How to change a paradigm?

Change Your Paradigm. Change Your Life. – by Bob Proctor

What is a paradigm?

I can tell you one thing, it’s not twenty cents! That was the sarcastic response I received once when I taught this in a class. The heckler was a full-grown man of almost sixty. He had never heard the word paradigm and thought he’d be funny. We all got a good laugh, and then I went on to explain what paradigms actually were.

While it sounds like a good joke, paradigms are serious business. They literally control your life. A paradigm is a set of assumptions, attitudes, and concepts that are buried deep within the subconscious mind. These paradigms control our perceptions of the world around us. Everything our minds process is filtered first through this system of paradigms.

Can paradigms be harmful?

Yes, paradigms are like a set of computer programs and they aren’t always good for us. Sometimes they are governed by limiting beliefs or ignorance, and even past trauma. Some belief systems buried in our subconscious mind aren’t ours! That’s right, our parents program in some of them during childhood. The society around us programs some mindsets into our belief systems without us even realizing it. What if these paradigms no longer serve us?

Don’t panic! I have good news!

Paradigms can be changed. It takes effort, but they are not permanent. The first step is to recognize it and then decide on the programming you’d like to have. After deciding what you want, you can start the reprogramming process.

In the next post we will talk about how to reprogram those paradigms into ones that will bring sucess and happiness.

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Now Available for Preorder!!

Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

Preorder Your Autographed Copy Today!

Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

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As A Man Thinketh

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Now Available for Preorder!!

Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

Preorder Your Autographed Copy Today!

Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

Make sure you are on my mailing list so you will be notified when these new books are released.

Make sure you are on my mailing list so you will be notified when new books are released.

Have you signed Up for Synova’s Free E-Book?

As A Man Thinketh

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(See: Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine [Norman Cousins] for more information on how redirecting your thoughts can help you heal)

(See: Who Are You Pretending To Be? – Changing Subconscious Labels)

Coming Soon…

Gratitude Through The Storm: A Guided Gratitude Journal

Whispers of the Mind: How Thoughts Become Things

Make sure you are on my mailing list so you will be notified when these new books are released.

Humans have a hidden superpower. With it we can both create and destroy. In most people it is raw, unfiltered and troublesome. But, if we could train it and hone it to perfection, it is powerful enough to change the world.

Make sure you are on my mailing list so you will be notified when these new books are released.

Have you signed Up for Synova’s Free E-Book?

Share this:

Like this:

What is a paradigm?

Can paradigms be harmful?

Recommended Reading:

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life

Have you signed Up for Synova’s Free E-Book?

Share this:

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