Have you ever considered how much power your thoughts have over your emotions and your actions? It may be more than you think, but the good news is that we have the ability to change our thoughts and thus change how we experience our lives.
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In this conversation, Holly and I speak with Emily Vermillion about the power of our thoughts. Emily shares her personal experience of going from struggling with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), anxiety and depression to living a life of freedom and joy. How did she do this? With God’s help and by changing her thought patterns to ones that line up with truth.
Whether you’ve experienced the overwhelming feeling of obsessive thoughts or you’ve just allowed your thoughts to roll through your mind without much examination, you’re sure to be both encouraged and challenged in this episode. You’ll also learn some practical ways you can begin transforming your thought life and living with more freedom and joy.
Key Points About Finding Freedom and Joy and Managing OCD, Anxiety and Depression
- Emily’s life and leadership journey [4:41]
- The power of our thoughts [10:20]
- How our thoughts are connected to our emotions and feelings [13:15]
- Determining the difference between changing our thoughts Biblically vs. the concept of manifesting [17:30]
- Emily’s personal journey of dealing with OCD, anxiety, and depression [21:50]
- How Emily realized something had to change
- The role of medication in changing these issues
- The tools Emily used to combat OCD, anxiety, and depression [32:31]
- Lay it at the feet of Jesus
- Meditative prayer
- Discerning the difference between Biblical concept of meditation vs. new age ideas [41:40]
- How we can determine if we need to change our thoughts [45:31]
- Leaders are learners [58:35]
Quotes:
“It serves us well to understand how our brain works–how our thoughts interact with our feelings and our actions.”
“It’s not about manifesting a desire of your heart. It’s about manifesting the likeness of Christ in your life each and every day and coming to the table pursuing that.”
“Learning about thought life and learning about the ‘power of our brain’ and how God created us was something that was necessary to help me because by the time I got to college, I was exhausted from this roller coaster.”
“This is a problem that Jesus can handle.”
“Meditative prayer is… not about emptying your mind, but filling your mind with Scripture.”
Resources & Other Episodes Mentioned:
- Overcoming Challenges with a Biblical Mindset in Business & Leadership
- Pray App
- Dr. Caroline Leaf
- Coping with Anxiety as a Christian Leader
- Mental Health Series
- 4 Money Mistakes Christians Make and How to Avoid Them
- Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking by Dr. Caroline Leaf
Connect with Emily:
Emily is a wife, mother, podcast host, and Christian Certified Life Coach. After receiving her MBA and landing a corporate job, Emily realized God needed her to completely switch gears, and rediscover the purpose He created her for. Having walked through this season, Emily’s passion is for equipping others to discover their purpose and find joy in the present. Emily hopes to offer encouragement, thought provoking tools, and actionable steps to help others get unstuck and living life intentionally!
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