What’s On Your Nightstand?

What’s On Your Nightstand?

Family caregivers are often very hard on themselves. It’s easy to feel as though you never do anything right when one day seems to fade into the next without any noticeable improvement over your current conditions. But did you know that what you read, watch or listen to feeds our souls and influences our thoughts and actions in surprising ways? Music, television, movies, podcasts, books, and social media all contribute to how we engage and interact with the world around us. When so much of that content is about bad things, it’s easy to feel like we can never be good enough again.

 Research has shown time and again that people who feed their minds with positive thoughts are happier, more productive, and more hopeful than those who dwell on their “half-empty glass” experiences. But if you are someone who struggles to stay positive, what’s the best way to overcome those negative thoughts?

 One way to turn your thought processes around is to change your routine to include reading or listening to something positive and uplifting before sleeping at night. Think about what’s on your nightstand. When you go to bed at night, do you read before you turn out your light? Studies show this is a great way to unwind and calm your mind before you go to sleep. Also, reading or listening to material that is positive, uplifting, inspiring, and makes you feel good is a better choice than the latest suspense novel or a great murder mystery.

 A scriptural devotional collection or your Bible is an excellent option for consideration; some of those Biblical heroes and heroines have highly engaging stories. Biographies or autobiographies of people you admire are also excellent choices, as are tales of heroism in the face of adversity. Even feel-good novels like the Mitford series by Jan Karon can lift your spirits and increase your “feel good” hormones.

 Audio podcasts are also a great source of positive messaging you could listen to before you go to sleep. If you’re not into reading, consider an audiobook subscription. The focus of this exercise is to take in good thoughts, positive words and ideas, and concepts that motivate and influence you to change your learned thought patterns from negative to positive. When you change how you think, you change how you feel, and that can change your life!

 Chris and I hope you’ll join us this week at Heart of the Caregiver and share your heart about how you nourish your heart and soul to keep yourself mentally strong, emotionally positive, and totally amazing!