More Tips on Preparing For Mind Renewal
Have you ever had a bulletproof coffee? It's packed with healthy fats and caffeine which gives a huge boost of energy and fullness throughout the day but gives great mental clarity!
When I think of focus and concentration I think of bulletproof coffee and it's all about what you put into your coffee cup that counts.
I am excited to bring to you some more tried and tested tips for embarking on mind renewal.
Today's Tips are all about: Focus and Concentration
Here my ingredient list of what to include in your daily cup of mind renewal:
1 - A Generous Serving Of Brain Food
Yes, I am starting with the food first. 😊 I have been discovering that the types of foods and the abundance thereof can distract us quickly. Standard diets consist of high sugar, the mass of unhealthy fats, and overdosing on processed foods. This way of eating can, in turn, bring changes to our brain chemistry and our ability to focus.
I recommend that eating in a balanced way can help you to focus on this journey more effectively. Today, Beth talked about coffee in our Facebook post, and I do like a cup of coffee in the morning or early afternoon, and for me, it does help me focus. Check out her post here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TapestryBeauty/
But I also want to bring to your attention to ask the Lord how He wants you to eat during this journey. Do you need to cut out some processed foods, high processed sugars? I promise it helps.
For some of us, fasting is excellent; full fasting or partial fasting helps us focus and get the clarity we need from the Lord. You could also fast some of the foods mentioned above; whatever you do, do it on to the Lord, not for weight loss, not to earn points but to do it so you can genuinely zone into all the Lord wants to speak to you.
Exercise is also great to enable your brain to focus. Over in our TFT Health and Fitness Group, our lovely team member Shelby will be doing some guided tasks to get us fit, healthy, and focused with some plans for each week of RTM101. Jump over here and say hello! : https://www.facebook.com/groups/247848702595494
2 - A Dash Of Fine Tuning
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3
One crucial thing is fine-tuning the topic you will renew your mind about during the 63 days. It is so easy for our minds to wonder about so many different issues and themes. To focus, it really helps me consider the one sentence of truth that I want to renew my mind about.
For instance, if it's emotional eating when worried, it may be a statement like, "I am renewing my mind on really embracing the love of God when I sense fear."
An alternative could also be a lie that you have, "I am renewing my mind about the view I can not eat well when I am feeling fear."
Having a focused short statement or sentence is much better than focusing on a broad topic than just "emotional eating."
If you do not have our workbook yet, then look at that as there are some helpful guided forms to help you fine-tune the area of mind renewal. Click here to grab your copy: https://www.tapestryofbeautyministries.com/shop
3 - A "One Thing" Spoon of Focus
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. Proverbs 4:25-7
So I often get asked if it is okay for me to do other bible studies or programs while doing this one. I say that renewing the mind works best when we are all in, focused, and single-minded.
So if I am seeking transformation in an area, I give 100% of my bible study time and devotionals to this area. That means other studies take a back seat for a while. It is vital that Renewing the Mind is not JUST a bible study; it's a transformation process, and it is a lifestyle that happens in time most effectively when we give concentration.
So take the time to give yourself the best opportunity to experience change and have a singular focus of your bible study and mind renewal time. Just for 63 days, give it all you have got, you have nothing to lose, we will be in the Word, meditating on the Word throughout the day, we are going to be praying, and there are bible study questions if you have time.
And also, don't forget the zoom classes. If you haven't signed up yet, please do so asap! http://www.tapestryofbeautyministries.com/classes
4 - Solid Food
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14
Know that when you go into a time of focus, distractions will come to try and get you off track. Distractions are not a bad thing in of themselves; its what we do with them that matters. It's a fantastic opportunity to train your heart and mind, eyes, and body, which will have great dividends as you continue.
If you are in prayer or trying to do a 1-minute faith action, be aware when your mind or hands want to reach for your phone and check your Facebook notifications and remind yourself by practice that it's just 1 minute we can sit for 1 minute.
In prayer, start practicing to train your body to stay in one place. Of course, we can pray as we go about our day, and in fact, WE SHOULD be. But for some, just sitting in prayer for 5 or 10 minutes is hard not to see the laundry pile and start folding.
Sometimes, when I get distracted, I use the eye mask that I wear at bed or even a scarf over my head to truly focus. Sometimes we have to close our natural eyes to focus on things above.
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
5 - A Moderate Serving Of Media
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Social Media, TV, The news, politics, gossip news, entertainment news!
All the above have their benefits, but they also have their drawbacks, especially if you turn to these before prayer or mind renewal. Whatever we give our attention to can start to govern the temperature of our hearts, lives, and daily choices.
My mum always tells me, "I don't read the mail as soon as it comes through the mailbox in the morning as it can distract me from the day ahead." Taking my mother's sage advice, I went too far in my 20s and started not opening my mail out of fear; well, you can guess what happened there. Lol, But I have now learned that I have to make the Lord my priority and get my top 3 things on my list completed before I start looking into the mail, emails, or social media. I am kind of at 60:40 at the moment with this, and I am still joyfully in training.
In the abundance of distractions, I have found that it can cut out the clearness of mind and ability of my mind to truly hear the Lord and even think about what we are thinking about.
So in conclusion, consider what needs to be added into your life and what needs to be taken out for a while so you can truly let go and let God have a clear flight path as you transform into that beautiful butterfly and take flight!
Which of the above are you going to do to prepare for success?