Anchored Not Anxious
Welcome to Anchored Not Anxious, Anxiety and worry may manipulate your mind and emotions, but it is not your identity. My anxiety journey equips me to mentor women with anxiety and worry. Find wisdom and realistic encouragement while gaining an unshakeable trust in God. It's possible with practical, faith-rooted anchoring practices. You belong here.
Hosted by Terri Hutchinson, a compassionate nurse and mentor.
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Anchored Not Anxious
Set Boundaries for Your Thoughts and Feelings
Ever seen those spike strips in parking garages or rental car locations? These pierce a tire if you try to go in the wrong way. What if you could pull a lever to raise a spike strip taking the air out of distorted and unhelpful thoughts.
Just as God established boundary lines for the seas, you can set boundaries for thoughts and feelings.
Boundaries meant to protect your peace. No more manipulation! You choose what thought or feeling gets momentum.
*Perfect for overthinkers, worriers, and anyone ready to take back control of their mental and emotional stream.
Welcome to Anchored Not Anxious. This is three minutes to anchored. The subject: Set boundaries for thoughts and feelings.
As far back as ancient times, boundaries were a thing. Nations and neighborhoods have boundaries. Companies set boundaries for behavior.
Healthy relationships exist because most of us recognize crossing the line, so to speak, shifts the conversation in a bad direction. We deliberately resist or control the urge to do it.
Boundaries serve a purpose. So why not set boundaries for thoughts and feelings.
Ever seen those spike strips in parking garages or rental car locations? These strips pierce a tire if you try to go in the wrong way. It's a type of boundary line.
Let's apply this image to your thoughts. If thoughts lead you toward shame or degrading self-concepts, imagine pulling a lever to raise a spike strip taking the air out of that thought. You have halted the momentum.
Set the boundary line and refuse to cross over into shame or self-defeat. Images have power, so do words.
Another option is talking back to unhelpful thoughts. Here's what I do. It sounds weird, I think or say “stop”. Not a feeble “Stop, don't think that”; but a strong convincing “STOP, you don't need to think this.”
Saying “stop” aloud helps me get out of my own head.
Emotions need boundaries too. Untamed emotions cause damage not just to others, but to perception of self. Feelings of shame, guilt, dread, humiliation, worry and more aren't wrong. These are temporary responses.
You wrestle with it. You lay with it. Boundaries are not suppression. It's healthy to let feelings wash over us like an ocean wave. It might knock you down, but as it recedes, you get to choose to get up.
Maybe even stronger than before.
But if you let feelings like dread, fear, or anxiety dictate your identity, it becomes who you are. This is the cost of not having boundaries. Unhelpful thoughts and feelings will direct and control how you move through and view your present and future.
In Psalm 104:9 it says, “Then, you God, set a firm boundary for the seas so they would never again cover the earth”.
God's power set boundaries for the earth. So God's working power in you, receiving the help of the Holy Spirit, can help you set mental and emotional boundary lines.
Will you start today?
Until next time.
