You are What You Think by David Stoop

Self-talk is the thing that we silently say to ourselves – often negative. This book called “You Are What You Think” by David Stoop takes a look at this subject from a Christian perspective and addresses over coming anger, depression, guilt, worry and stress. Below the links are some of my favorite quotes from the book.

The Amazon link is here: http://amzn.to/1LeVb0g

Favorite quotes from the book:

• We respond in one of two ways when we are confused by our feelings and emotions. We either become overwhelmed, allowing our feelings to spill over onto those around us and draw them into a confusing drama; or we become overcontrolling, holding a tight rein on any expression of our feelings or emotions while also attempting to carefully control everything that goes on around us.

• Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the view they take of them. – Epictetus

• Our belief systems can take the form of either private speech, thoughts, or of external speech (the words we speak with our mouths). We usually speak out loud at the rate of 150 to 200 words per minute. Some research suggests that we talk privately to ourselves in our thoughts at the rate of approximately 1300 words per minute.

• Our responses are based on how we choose to interpret that event. And that choice creates our emotions.

• It is Self-Talk that explains why someone can experience inner rest and peace in the midst of the most wrenching experiences of life. It is also the reason a person can ignore all the positive, pleasant events occurring in his or her life and focus on a worry and become miserable.

• It is not what is occurring in our lives that affects our behavior; it is what we believe about what is occurring that matters. If we focus on the facts related to an out-of-control world, we will behave in a certain manner. If we focus on a world under the control of an all-powerful God, we will behave in a different way.

• Many of us are very angry but almost totally unaware of it.

• … Doctors have come to realize that unresolved anger and fear play a role in both [heart disease and cancer]. In fact, researchers are finding that, except in the case of a trauma such as a car accident or some other accidental injury, anger and fear play a role in almost all the physical damage done to our bodies.

• I’ve found that people who are depressed usually have a problem with anger.

• When we are depressed, our despair often drives us into isolation. We cut off relationships with the very people who care for us and want to stand with us as we work through the pain. It seems like it’s us against the world, and we’re losing.

• Every time you set up a new [higher] standard that arises out of guilt, it just gives you something more to feel guilty about.

• Only forgiveness can resolve the downward cycle of guilt—both valid and false.
• One of the difficulties we have with many of our worries is separating worry from genuine concern.
• Worry is really an attempt to control the future. Just as guilt is an attempt to reshape the past.