Negativity Detox

Who is ready for a Negativity Detox? In this episode, Melissa Abello returns to unpack the wiring of our brains and the spiritual truths we can wield to build new neural pathways and fight toxic negativity. She discusses God’s intricate design, privileging the positive, interrupting negative inputs, and creating margin in our lives. Shirley MacLaine said, “Dwelling on the negative contributes to its power.” Let’s find a better way. 

About the Speaker:
Melissa Abello has been serving for the last 10 years in the full time ministry.  She is married to Janus Abello and has two daughters: an angel in Heaven named Naomi and Ruth who is 1 year old.  Melissa is also a licensed mental health practitioner in the state of Missouri. Her and her husband serve currently as Evangelist and Women's ministry leader in Columbia, MO. 

Episode Notes: 

Contributing Factors this year: Doomscrolling, Toxic Rumination, Isolation, Pandemic, Divisions & Tensions, Personal/Individual Loss, Etc.

Romans 15:13

Why do we veer towards negativity? 

• God designed the fight or flight part of our brain as built in protection, but Satan has tried to use this to his advantage since the fall.
• Brain does not differentiate physical from emotional pain.
• our brains are picking up that information about pain and storing it. Remembering it so that it can preserve and protect itself. 
• When something poses a threat or we perceive potential pain it fires, sending us into negative spirals!
• It is the path of least resistance in our brains - we will automatically want to go the direction of negative and fear based on our previous broken experiences.

The other side of this:

• If you travel down different pathways you weaken old ones.  If consciously do this more often then it will begin to go on autopilot.
• When we go the opposite direction we change hundreds of billions of neurons in the brain.
• Engage in positivity - increase activity in the left prefrontal cortex - continue to do this we can essentially rewire our brains.
• Feel the hard feelings and then also privilege the positive.

God talks about our minds a lot in the bible, He wants to help us overcome…

• “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” -Col 3:2
• Metanoia= MIND CHANGE
• 2 Corinthians 10:5
• Philippians  4:8
• Isaiah 26:3

"Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Above all else, do this!” -Proverbs 4:23

Jesus was so good at not absorbing the negativity of circumstance or the negativity of others. His mind was set on things above. 

How do we guard our hearts?

• STOP- We have to stop when we notice that we’re being negative. 
• LOOK- Consider- “What puts me on the negative highways?”
• LISTEN- Acknowledge and process what you feel
• REFOCUS- Reframe. This takes trust in God.

Be Mindful of Negative Inputs

• “Don't be deceived, bad company corrupts good character.” Company is what you’re reading, watching, listening to. 

Create space in your life- 

• “What do I need to do to create margin in my life?”
• We can’t put ourselves on the back burner constantly. 
• We can’t fight negativity if we don’t have any energy. 
• Satan wants to rob us of the good God is doing. 

1 Corinthians 10:13