Science has proven that emotions are created by thoughts. Pause there. Did you actually digest that? Here it comes again: science has proven that emotions are created by the thoughts that we think. This means the feelings we will experience today come from the thoughts we are thinking.
So, how are you feeling today? Maybe you’re anxious? Discouraged? Disappointed? Feeling short on time?
Quite honestly, I woke up feeling terribly inept, inadequate and deficient. Inept, meaning “having or showing no skill,” inadequate meaning, “unable to deal with a situation or with life,” and deficient, meaning “not having enough of a specified quality.”
If my feelings come from my thoughts, my question is, what in the world am I thinking!?? I would never say those things to someone else. Imagine it; “Good morning sunshine, you are inept, inadequate and deficient!”…. Woah. What a jerk I would be. But I say those things to myself all the time. I see the dishes on the counter. — Inadequate. I see the toys on the floor – deficient housekeeper. I think about the whole list of things I want to get done in a day… or in the last year…. Inept.
Maybe this is just me. Maybe I’m not very nice to myself, but chances are, you have your own version of this.
Why?
Because we’re never taught to boss our feelings around – ever.
Much the opposite, we’re taught to bow and surrender to our feelings. In our culture, if you FEEL something, it’s considered “truth” and we’re encouraged to change our lives around that “truth.” Trouble is, if feelings come from the thoughts in our head (which is scientifically proven), that means feelings can change with the thoughts in our heads.
Imagine how catastrophic it could be if we would change our lives based on something that could change so quickly.
If I asked you to invest your life savings in a company that had a high probability of changing or dissolving tomorrow, would you do it? Never! Why? Because it would be foolish!
Our world tells us to make changes that are just as foolish. Our world tells us to trust our feelings and change our lives accordingly. But if feelings come from thoughts (remember science proves this) that means feelings can change rather quickly!
Feelings are far from concrete. Feelings are more like a wave in the ocean that is soon to be covered by the next wave.
And yet.
We end the marriage because we don’t feel like it’s worth it.
We question how God made us because we don’t feel like it’s working.
We don’t go to church because we don’t feel like it’s fun.
We are encouraged to end the pregnancy because we don’t feel like we can handle it.
We fight with our spouses because we don’t feel like our needs are being met.
What if science is right and those feelings could all change based on what we’re thinking? What if feelings aren’t “truth.”
Our world loves to act like feelings are the ultimate truth, but truth, by definition is “absolute, constant, and true for everyone, everywhere, all the time.” (Life Church “Almost True” Series Part 1) So, feelings obviously can’t be ultimate truth. We must put feelings in an “opinion” category.
I work with a coach who loves to ask one simple question that I love and hate all at the same time. She frequently asks, “What if the opposite is true?” I think we’d pump the brakes on some of those major life-altering decisions if we simply asked, “What if the opposite is true?”
For me, what if I’m the opposite of inept, inadequate and deficient today? What if my feelings aren’t king, and what if they can change with my thoughts? What if I bossed my feelings around instead of letting them bully me into terrible choices?
If we want different feelings, we’re going to have to think different thoughts.
In her book “Switch On Your Brain,” Dr. Caroline Leaf says ,“As we think, we change the physical nature of our brain. As we consciously direct our thinking, we can wire out toxic patterns of thinking and replace them with healthy thoughts.”
Long before scientists discovered that thoughts come from feelings, the Bible already had the prescription for the problem. It instructs us to “take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.” It tells us to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things!”
So what are you feeling today?
Might you need to think something differently? I know I do!
I’m making these muffins tomorrow to help change our school morning feelings. We want to feel excited about school, so we’re making exciting plans for yummy morning things!
Meet your farmer – Liz Gerdes. She and her husband run a farm-to-table Raw Milk dairy and farm Airbnb in Caledonia. If you’re looking for raw milk fresh from the farm, visit gerdesfreshfarm.com or follow her on Facebook @gerdesfreshfarm or Instagram @gerdesliz for more info.
Double Chocolate Sourdough Muffins
2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
½ cup (45 g) cocoa powder (regular or dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
½ cup (125 g) unfed sourdough starter
½ cup (120 g) avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup (185 g) sour cream
2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 g) milk
1 ¾ cups (315 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups AP flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Use a whisk to combine the ½ cup of oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and ½ cup of sourdough starter discard. Mix until the ingredients come together and are smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix the batter until it just comes together. Do not over mix the batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir until they are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Use an ice cream scooper to fill the liners. The batter should come to the top of the liner for bigger muffins. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each one if you want even more chocolate flavor!
- Bake the muffins for the first 5 minutes at 425°F in the preheated oven. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake the muffins for an additional 15-18 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean when they are done.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the muffin tin.
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