We all go through periods in our lives where sometimes we find it hard to attach to a language. So, one of the most liberating things in life is being able to put into words and explain to someone in a very simple way, the complex activities of our mind. I recall how a few weeks ago I was taken aback by something someone said to me. They had completely misunderstood and misinterpreted what I AM about. So, for a few days I was trying to make sense of the statement because at the back of my mind, I kept thinking to myself ‘hold on a sec, that’s not true, that’s not who I AM’. I attempted to come up with a response strategy packaged with perfect words. My aim was that when I respond to this person again, they should be very clear about what I stand for. I was kind of losing my peace about this until in my heart I heard the proverb which says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he” Proverbs 23:7. Man, in this context expressing both male and female.
I wish I can fully express how liberating it was for me to hear those words. It felt as if God was saying to me, “Stop trying to convince people of who you are. If you believe you are something good, then you are that, stop and rest.”
If you live your life wide-open to wisdom, you will begin to realise that the world around us is awake and full of such great insights. In that same week as I was scrolling through Instagram, I bumped into a video which Khanyi Dhlomo shared (P.S If you don’t know Khanyi Dhlomo- please google her, this piece may not fully do justice to her accolades ?). She had been presenting at a women’s conference and one of the key concepts she shared in her presentation was a question she packaged this way- “What do you put after your ‘I AM’? “I AM…two of the most powerful words because what we put after them and what we believe about what we put after them shapes our reality” – Khanyi Dhlomo. Immediately I was convinced, if I didn’t hear the first voice, this was confirmation. She echoed how the legendary Mohammed Ali believed/ “had a thought” that he was the greatest even long before we all came to know him to be the greatest boxer.
Did you know that holding certain thoughts about your life is not just ‘wishy washy’ and ‘soft fluffy’ stuff? According to scientific research, thinking affects gene expression in cells of the Brain and the rest of the Body. This in turn affects the structure, function, and the health of the Body. This study is called Epigenetics. It’s not only what we eat, but also what we think that CONTROLS how our genes are expressed- for better or for worse. As people we have a choice to eat healthy or not and we also have a powerful choice to control our thoughts and reactions in a good or bad way.
The research continues to grow and advocates that the human body responds physically to what it THINKS reality is. Thus, thoughts have a larger impact on our DNA and health than ever imagined (https://renewingallthings.com/).
I don’t know whether this was a third and final confirmation, but realising that the kind of thoughts we hold can literally affect every area of our lives. This has made me feel much more at ease that I can control my quality of life even as I age. It has also made me realise I should be more conscious and proactive at fighting thoughts that are negative.
In a nutshell my friend if love, kindness, peace,joy, progress, growth, innovation, etc, comes to your mind, please HOLD that thought!