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Overflow by Craig Booker

Join a growing community learning about brain health and following Jesus.

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Distorted Thinking

Hello Reader, Have you ever thought about how messed up our thoughts can be? One of the most intriguing ideas I have recently encountered is how someone's thoughts can be completely legitimate inside their head, but once they get written down or shared with others, they can transform into complete garbage. When a thought is inside our head, we can believe it is completely legitimate. If we take a moment and write it down or tell someone about it, it changes. The interesting thing here to note...

1 day ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, I love patterns! People love patterns. Humans are fascinated with finding patterns in the world around them. It's a thing. So much so that they have a word to describe it. This innate tendency to seek out patterns and impose order on the world around us is called "patternicity." Last week, I asked the question, "What if I told you there are patterns to your behavior?" Far too often, we get used to operating in a certain way, and when we try to make changes, it seems like too...

10 days ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, Do you ever feel stuck in a rut? No matter what you do, you feel hopeless to change. The same triggers send you into a tailspin. After a while, you just feel like giving up. What if I told you there are patterns to your behavior? What may seem completely unpredictable follows a set of rules. This is good news! If we are going to be both mentally and emotionally healthy people, we need to be able to identify the negative patterns of thinking and then face them. Even more, we need...

17 days ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, Do you ever stop and wonder if something else is driving your behavior? One moment, you're having a great day, and then it happens. Something (an event) causes you to spiral into a series of negative thoughts and beliefs about the event. Before you know it, you shut down, withdraw, or isolate yourself. Maybe you get defensive, shirk responsibility, and begin to blame others. What is going on here? (A) First, there was an activating event. (B) Next, the event triggered a series...

23 days ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader, I struggle with change! I find it incredibly difficult to create lasting changes in my life. Anyone else? I have tried several approaches, and I have learned that if there is something that I am not quite satisfied with, my brain will eventually decide to do something about it. This is a personality trait that I am incredibly grateful to have. What I can't quite figure out is why I struggle so much in asking others for help. I have my reasons. We all do. We fear trusting people,...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, Change is hard! Understanding and improving our brain health is an uphill battle. When it comes to making changes, you must have a plan. Regardless of whether you are the planning type or someone who prefers to wing it, you need some type of roadmap. Let's face it: it is hard enough to take steps in the right direction when we know what to do next. So why put off the preparation stage? Maybe the whole idea of what you are trying to change is a bit overwhelming. It could be that...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, Have you ever had something happen in your life, and you think you adequately dealt with it, but it turns out that maybe you didn't? You lost a job, a loved one passed away, or a relationship fell apart. When it happened, perhaps you had a good cry or slept a lot more those days after the event. You wore your favorite comfy clothes and binge-watched your favorite show. If you lost a job, you mourned the missed opportunity and the idea that you would no longer work with your...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, As January comes to a close, you might find yourself a little skeptical with all of this talk about making positive changes to your life. After all, you've been here before, full of optimism about the new year, only to find yourself in the same place months later. Here are a few things I am learning to embrace along the way. Work at change, believing in God for the impossible. Be grateful for any progress, big or small, made while trying to change. So, if you are skeptical, I...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader, As January rolls around, we tend to reflect on the previous year, where the time went, and what we accomplished. For some, it was a great year. For others, it was a challenging year, and they barely seemed to get by. No matter what group you find yourself in, there are areas of your life you would like to change. So, where do we begin? The first step towards healing and change is admitting our needs. The tricky part is that we tend to see ourselves as better than average...

2 months ago • 1 min read
Something New

Hello Reader, Each and every day, we shape our day whether we realize it or not. We all carry an invisible backpack full of expectations for ourselves, others, and God. Our expectations hold the potential to build up or tear down. Each day, we faithfully pick up this bag, not realizing what we are bringing with us. Rarely do we take time to pause, unzip the top, and evaluate what’s inside. In the book Reset, author Debra Fileta says, “…unrealistic expectations are what get in the way of our...

2 months ago • 2 min read
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