Good morning!
It is a new week and a new day and I’m so glad you could join me as we continue our journey toward renewing our minds and improving our self-discipline. If you’re just joining me, you can read my article, “Morning and Evening: A New Self Discipline Journey” to learn more about why I am doing this, and how this may benefit you as well.
This week we are going to focus each day on good mental health. Each day this week I will provide affirmations, scriptures, and daily challenges regarding this topic. Next week will be a new one!
With that said, let’s start our morning together!
BREATHING EXERCISE
Before we begin let us take some deep breaths to calm our mind and prepare us for this mornings discipline.
MUSIC FOR A NEW DAY
I personally like to have some soft music in the background, so if that’s something you like as well below you will find a song you can play for the duration of our time together.
PRAYER For Better Health
Now that we’re calm, let us transition to a time of prayer. Over the next few minutes you can pray on your own or feel free to use the following prayer:
Joy-maker,
Help me experience the pleasures of this day. Peace-giver, hush my anxious heart. Time-keeper, heal past hurts and help me trust you with tomorrow.
God who knit together my brain and heart, guide both to rest and harmony. Open my eyes to see where I can join you in avoiding stressors, turning off screens, and eating well. And open my ears to hear your voice if I need to find professional help.
Heal and strengthen my mind, O Lord.
Amen
A Prayer for Mental Health | Reclaim Today
AFFIRMATIONS for Better Health
Here are a few affirmations for this morning that you can put in your pocket and carry with you throughout your day.
As you read through them, repeat each one out loud at least three times before moving to the next. Take your time. Close your eyes and say them to yourself as well. Let these words sink into your heart and mind this morning:
- I will fill my mind with good things today.
- The past has passed. I am a new creation today.
- My thoughts will focus on true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable things.
- I will rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit to give me life and peace.
SCRIPTURES For Better Health
As Christians, our affirmations should be rooted in the strength and power of God who empowers us and strengthens us to face every trial and every day (both good and bad).
Here are some scriptures that further support the affirmations we just spoke to ourselves. Again, repeat each one three times out loud before moving to the next one. Take your time. Maybe try to commit these to memory as well:
- Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
- Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
- Romans 8:6, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
TODAYS CHALLENGE
Our challenge today is this: turn off all devices for 1 hour.
Perhaps one of the most difficult things for people in today’s society is to turn off and disconnect from technology for any length of time. We have, in many ways, become addicted to our devices.
We have become addicted to…
- Smart phones
- Tablets
- Smart TV’s
- Computers
- Social Media
- Mainstream Media
- TV shows
- TikTok
- And more…
The biggest offender is our smart phones because these devices can be taken anywhere and give us access to everything on the list above (and more). According to some statistics I found for 2023, the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone every day with 1 in 5 people spending upwards of 4.5 hours on average every day (source: explodingtopics.com).
So the challenge for today may indeed be just that – a challenge. I know it will be for me. These devices really can become a bit of a time drain and a black hole. Perhaps it might help to schedule a reminder, or write this up on a wall calendar to remind yourself to turn them off.
When you turn your devices off for 1 hour, commit to doing something more constructive like spending quality time with your spouse, kids, or some quiet and alone time reading a book, or even playing a game that doesn’t require a device (you know like UNO or Monopoly).
After today, try to increase your time by 15 minutes each day. If you do this, then by Friday you will have doubled the amount of time your devices are being set down. Not too bad!
Quote of the Day
I also wanted to include a little quote of the day that maybe you’ll find some inspiration in as well.
Today’s quote comes from Nido Qubein, a Lebanese American businessman, motivational speaker, and president of High Point University once said:
Your present circumstances don’t determine where you go; they merely determine where you start.
Nido Quebein
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