That’s a big claim, but I believe it’s true. It’s been true in my life, and I think it’s true in all people’s lives, if we take the time to notice.
First, let’s define some terms in this claim.
— What is a saint?
A saint is someone in heaven with God. We get there based on what we believe and do here. God’s grace and mercy gets us to heaven, and the bulk of the conversion process (from sin to life in Christ) happens here.
— What is mindset work?
For the purpose of this article, mindset work is simply noticing your thoughts, and the process of changing them if they’re not in line with God. Yes, this is possible! I’ll explain how in the next section.
— Define “easier.”
We’ve all tried white-knuckling our way to change. It works, for a little while, but eventually the struggle is too much, it all falls apart. We’re back where we started. “Easier” here means less white-knuckling and more changing our brains so that we are habituated and inclined to choose virtue and bear good fruit.
How it works
The process is built on two premises:
Premise #1:
Thoughts lead to emotions, and emotions incline us to act or not act in a certain way.
Premise #2:
Thoughts are optional.
We find ourselves in less-than-ideal situations daily (otherwise, this would be heaven. Alas, not yet). The way we choose to THINK in difficult situations determines whether it’s easier or harder to be a saint (and choose virtue over vice).
An example circumstance: We have a big dinner party and I am responsible for doing the dishes at the end of the night.
First set of optional thoughts: “I can’t believe my husband made so many dirty dishes while he was cooking. I hate doing the dishes. This isn’t fair. Why do I even bother keeping the kitchen clean when he’s just going to make a mess again?”
Where do these thoughts lead? To emotions of resentment and frustration. From these emotions, I am much more inclined to complain, pout, make ultimatums, and withhold affection for him.
But what if I chose another set of thoughts?… “That meal was so yummy. I’m so glad our friends came over and we were able to spend the night together. We have a great kitchen for hosting. Cleaning up will take less than 30 minutes, which is totally worth it for the hours of fun we had.”
Notice where these thoughts lead: emotions of gratitude, joy, and generosity. From these emotions, I am much more inclined to do the chores I promised I would do, be affectionate for my husband, and be a cheerful host at our next gathering.
(Bonus Disclosure: the cover image on this post is generated by AI. My husband does not look like that. He does cook really yummy food, though!)
So, how do I change my thoughts?
The first (and hardest) step is to notice your thoughts in the first place. This is often easier to do when you’re looking back at the moment, but it can be done in the moment, too. Just the act of verbalizing the thought can significantly weaken its power.
“Huh, look at that. I’m thinking a thought that says I’m a failure at __.”
At this point, I find it helpful to imagine my mind as a train station. (As a woman, it seems like there are a LOT more noisy trains cruising around in my head, but I digress.)
When I notice the thought, “I’m a failure” pulling into the train station, I can already guess that it’s going to take me to a destination I don’t want to go. I notice the train, and then I let it leave the station without me. It might even stay parked at the station for a longer than I’d like, and that’s fine, but I am actively choosing not to get on it! Instead, I walk up to the metaphorical thought-marquee and start looking for another train-thought, with a better destination.
This is the hard part of mindset work: finding and choosing a new thought. Your new thought needs to be…
— a true statement (or your brain won’t believe it), and
–it should bear good fruit (take you toward virtue, not vice).
You might not be able to 100% course-correct from a bad train to a completely virtuous one. But 10% or 20% better is still better than the original. And the next time this happens, you can improve a little more.
More Prompts for Sleuthing Thoughts
When we find ourselves acting in a way that is not bringing us closer to God, we can backtrack to find the thought:
— When I act this way, what emotion am I feeling?
— Why am I feeling ___, what am I thinking?
The thought I’m choosing, not the circumstance, is causing the vicious action.
We can also find the root thought from the emotion, with a sense of curiosity: “huh, I sure am feeling ___. It makes me want to do these actions (X, Y, Z).”
— Why am I feeling ___, what am I thinking?
— What am I making this circumstance mean about me?
Again, the thought I’m choosing (not the emotion!) is causing the action.
And when I notice the thought, I can keep it, or I can choose a better one.
Help! I’m Stuck!
Friends, mindset work is HARD work. And Christianity is a religion of community, not isolation. It’s important to reach out to others if you’re feeling stuck in vice-centered thoughts, emotions, or actions. ‘
It’s even better if this person has the context and skills to help in the mindset arena.
Catholic mindset coaching is exactly this: helping you recognize the thoughts that are keeping you from your full potential, and giving you tools and perspective to do something about it.
Get started 1:1 coaching with me today, or check out this fantastic list of Catholic coaches who can give you a helping hand!
Paschal Disciples 