A victim is a person who has been harmed by an event or another person.  We hear of storm victims, murder victims and victims of abuse.  No one wants to be a victim, right?  The truth is, we may not choose to be a victim, but we could be causing ourselves to feel like victims without realizing it.

Do any of the following feel familiar to you?

• There is someone in your life who causes you great pain.
• You want to run away and hide so you don’t have to be exposed to it.
• You view everything in your life through negative lenses.
• You find yourself complaining, a lot.
• Pity parties have become a regular part of your day.
• Why have so many bad things happened to me?
• Why can’t somebody do something for me?

If you can relate to some or all of the items above, you may have allowed yourself to live in a victim mentality.  Most everyone finds themselves there at times.  The important thing is to recognize it and do something to change it.

You see, being in this place is not a sign of weakness.  It is simply a belief pattern.  No one is out to get you.  The truth is that whatever the situation, it is actually our thoughts about it that determine our feelings.  You’ve probably heard someone say, “She makes me so mad!”  Well, no one can make you mad.  Another person can’t make you feel any way.  It is actually our thoughts about what happens that cause our feelings.

This is really good news.  If another person could make you feel a particular emotion, that would mean they control your emotions.  If that were true, then you would be totally at their mercy and helpless to change yourself.  But, knowing that you can control your thoughts puts you in the driver’s seat of your own emotions.

Think about what you are thinking about.  Don’t leave your thoughts to themselves, but be intentional about what you allow into your mind.  When you recognize a thought you don’t want, then replace it.  Yes, this takes effort but the result is so worth it.

Control your thinking so you can live! . . . your life to the fullest.