Achuckallen

Instigating Better

Emotional Health

This Week’s “I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It”

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AChuckAllen August 4, 2022

Have you ever been in the shower or riding down the road thinking, and it hit you that you might be wrong, but you doubt it? Yeah, me too. This week’s article is focused on POLITICS! But, you know the age-old story; avoid politics at the Sunday dinner table if you want to keep the peace. But, here we go. Why do we get so whacked out about politics in America these days?

POLITICS IN AMERICA

America is in an information war – with itself. Our public forums, where we Americans discuss public issues, are broken. There’s little healthy discussion – and plenty of fighting. One reason why: Persuasion is difficult, slow, and time-consuming – it doesn’t make good television or social media content – and so there aren’t a lot of good examples of it in our public discourse. As a result, we have become propagandists, not persuaders. We have chosen the path of picking a side and unfolding a shock and awe campaign of how bad the other side is, regardless of who the other side is.

The old vertical propaganda model cannot withstand the changes in communication brought on by the new participatory media – talk radio, cable, email, blogs, chats, texts, video, and social media.

Pew research says that 93% of Americans are connected to the internet and 82% of Americans are connected to social media. We now all have direct access to communicate in the public square – and, most of us engage at some level in the propaganda machine. A lot of folks use their social media connections and platforms to knowingly and unknowingly spread misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy, and partisan talking points – all forms of propaganda. We’re all propagandists now. At times, we create our own version of dissent.

The inability of Americans to allow for dissenting thoughts has become an epidemic. When we do not allow for common decency in dialogue with those we disagree with, we lose all sense of humanity and turn what could be beneficial for the country into a battle of anger, resentment, and outrage. It doesn’t take long!

Hold your convictions close to you, but be cautious that your convictions are more than preferred thoughts and outcomes. America became America out of appreciation for how our Creator made us uniquely different, and we bond around that rather than fight about why it is the case.

Be sure to leave room for your fellow American to be right, even if it is seldom the case.

Be sure to leave room for you to be wrong, even if it doesn’t happen often.

As a country built on diverse thought, we must accept that wherever diverse thought occurs, conflict is lurking around the corner. Conflict, friend, isn’t the problem.
The problem is mismanaged conflict.

Most conflict is internal. When someone thinks differently than you, they will most likely act, react and vote differently than you. That doesn’t have to make them your enemy. There is a reason that they think that way, and the way they think may have nothing to do with you – at all!

To demonize them without attempting to understand them is doing yourself disfavor! Leave room for that Republican or Democrat to share why. If they don’t know why, other than some talking puppet on an alleged news show, don’t argue; simply step away.

Everyone has the right to be wrong!

If you do find yourself in a heated exchange, be the grown-up in the room and take the heat down. Speaking truth in love is the key here. When we shower others with our worst, we rarely have an opportunity to persuade, we simply become part of the propaganda. Besides, we owe it to the world to lessen the noise and increase the collective IQ.

Step away from the keyboard when you are heated. There is no need to convince others of your lack of control. The country needs men and women of conviction, courage, and wisdom,
not more screaming and banter.

If you want to discuss politics, check your logo and ego at the door and have a clear, common, and compelling reason for what you say. Say it in a way that is helpful, thoughtful, and wise. Be willing to be corrected and be willing to accept differences, and watch how we can find a middle ground.

I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

Go in Peace, Chuck

ARE YOU OFFENDED?

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ACHUCKALLEN AUGUST 2, 2022

Somehow, someway, we have trained ourselves to be easily offended. The minute I hit send on this post, I will begin the process of offending someone about being offended. We all know that it is true, don’t we? Yet, at any given point, we must stop before sharing our true feelings due to the fret and worry over whose feelings we have just hurt. The challenge is that it doesn’t matter what the topic is. It can be baseball; people just go off if you share an opinion. Look at the “Official Atlanta Braves Fan Facebook Page.” These people are screaming at each other on FB for talking about a game! Ever found yourself at a dinner party and politics come up in the discussion? Your heart starts to race; your forehead becomes sweaty, all because you aren’t sure if you are in a field littered with landmines – and these are your friends!

We Might be Anxious

People who are easily offended might struggle with anxiety and a need to control their view and version of the universe. They are accustomed to being in control of things in their lives. As a result, they may also need to control others’ responses. This is a pretty irrational thought, but it is so true! Taking offense to a perceived insult can be a function of anxiety. It might require the other person to acknowledge and tailor their verbiage and demeanor to match the offended person’s worldview. In essence, anxious people need to see their version of the truth as the only truth, which can help mitigate their experience of anxiety. That’s one thought.

We Might be Insecure

Folks that feel insecure have often been invalidated and learned others will not respond to their needs in helpful or meaningful ways. They might not have learned how to get their needs met appropriately and respond in a passive-aggressive manner. As a result, they may find they are more easily offended than others as a way to acknowledge their pain and seek validation of their experience. I see this all the time, and sometimes I see it in the mirror.

We Might be Highly Sensitive

Some of us are merely more sensitive than others. That’s our temperament, how we are wired. It’s extremely hard to be overly sensitive and have healthy relationships, but this is a changeable quality when you recognize this is how you are. One approach when you feel harmed by someone’s remark or lack of attention is to consider: How else could I think of this action except as being meant to hurt me? You might think that someone is having a bad day, they’re actually trying to help you, or that they’re simply inept at being tactful. We really can be a thin-skinned bunch.

We Might Have Experienced a Traumatic Childhood

When we are abused or traumatized as kids, the hurtful action taken against us gets stored in our brains differently than less distressing memories because they are highly emotional and seen as a threat. It’s inevitable, and we all have some measure of trauma. My friend Julie Homrich has taught me a bit about BIG “T” trauma and LITTLE “T” trauma. Even as adults, we have sore spots that can easily get “re-triggered.” If you were left out of activities or bullied as a child, every slight in adulthood might tap into those ugly memories and make you feel as you did as a child. As a result, we can be easily offended. Having a chat with a trained counselor or therapist is so good in this case.

We Might Just Be Selfish and Certain

When we leave no room for uncertainty in our life, as in we are always right, we will be easily offended. If someone doesn’t believe as we do, they must be wrong. If someone doesn’t vote the way we do, they must be wrong. When we have other folks convey a thought, opinion, or belief that we disagree with, can we not just let it go? Is it okay that people are perceived as wrong? Is it okay if they are wrong? Is it possible that we are wrong? Now I’ve gone too far…clearly! My point is that we have to attain some sense of decency and decorum in our personal exchange of ideas and ideologies, do we not? At some point, the gateway drug to the violence we are experiencing on our streets is that we have drawn red lines around our worldview and have determined that those lines are the point of no return, and once crossed, we start pushing the verbal nuclear codes into our preferred method of social media, or worse. It is okay that people do not see the world as you do!

So, What Are We To Do?

Taking offense can be a legitimate feeling when someone is expressing an unfair or deprecating sentiment about you or a group of people with whom you identify. It’s plenty valid to get offended at racist or sexist remarks. No, you are not overly sensitive when you express your displeasure at someone’s ignorant statement about people who look like you. But, if it’s a frequent mechanism by which insecurities or unresolved and personal issues are exposed, it’s most likely a problem. Get a unbiase thought on that and see where it takes you. It was a real struggle for me, but a struggle that bettered my life by a country mile!

LEAVE ROOM FOR UNCERTAINTY

You realize that none of us know everything about everything, correct? As a result, stay coachable, teachable, and flexible. I promise you that your life will be so much easier. It isn’t easy, but to hold your certainty loosely will allow you to see why someone sees the world differently. That takes the edge off of being angered or offended. It also allows you to be teachable, even if the lesson is what not to think or do.

CREATE SPACE FOR DIVERSE THOUGHT

There is a reason that the Creator didn’t make everyone the same way that you were created. Remember in the Bible, where Isaiah said, “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts?” Me too. He created us in such a beautifully diverse way that we are formed to be better together. Diversity is essential to better living and better thinking. But the truth is that where diversity exists, so also exists conflict. I realize that we have a melting pot of cultures and diversity here in the Land of the Free and that diversity asks something from us. It asks us to see that God made no mistake when He created the wonderful you – AND – the wonderful people that aren’t like you. The world is inhabited by far more people unlike you than like you. Heaven is going to be filled with folks unlike you. But the one central point here is that they were not created in error any more than you were. Learn to embrace diverse thoughts, cultures, and people. You will be so much happier when you do.

LET IT GO

I learned a phrase several years ago that may seem foolish to you, but it has been life-giving to me. When someone says something that seems offensive or even odd, I simply reply with, “how ’bout that?” It allows me to make a statement and keeps me from jumping into the deep water of offense or outrage. Just simply, “how ’bout that?” Idina Menzel was right when she sang, Let it Go in the Disney film, Frozen – LET IT GO! You really don’t have to respond. When we do, it typically makes us feel worse, not the other way around. Choosing to be offended by everything will literally eat you up from the inside, like drinking poison intended for the other party. LET IT GO and see how much happier you become.

More often than not, taking on an offense is a choice. Be very careful how much offense you choose to take into your soul. Like a three-pack-a-day habit, it’ll slowly but surely kill you.

Go in Peace, Chuck

In the Bordertown of Uvalde, Texas

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AChuckAllen.com July 26, 2022

I’ve spent the last couple of days in Uvalde, Texas. After landing in San Antonio, my friend Mauricio and I met another pastor from El Paso, Ozzie. Both are great guys and both have genuine hearts for helping people. We grabbed a car and headed to Uvalde, about a 90-minute ride. I soon learned that there are 75 mph speed zones on two-lane roads in Texas – We made it in 70 minutes.

I wasn’t prepared for the wave of emotions that hit me when we walked onto the hallowed grounds of Robb Elementary School. Just a quick refresher – 2 months ago, to the day that we arrived, Salvador Ramos crashed a truck into a culvert and ran into Robb Elementary School. There, he took the lives of twenty-one innocent people, including 2 teachers and 19 precious children.

 Their names are:

  • Makenna Lee Elrod
  • Layla Salazar
  • Maranda Mathis
  • Nevaeh Bravo
  • Jose Manuel Flores Jr.
  • Xavier Lopez
  • Tess Marie Mata
  • Rojelio Torres
  • Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia
  • Eliahna A. Torres
  • Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez
  • Jackie Cazares
  • Uziyah Garcia
  • Jayce Carmelo Luevanos
  • Maite Yuleana Rodriguez
  • Jailah Nicole Silguero
  • Irma Garcia
  • Eva Mireles
  • Amerie Jo Garza
  • Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio
  • Alithia Ramirez

My reason for being here?

I was asked to serve Border Patrol Families in the Uvalde and Del Rio sectors. These men and women are some of my favorite people on the planet. Having been at multiple Border Patrol Stations across the Southern Border, I’ve seen the men and women in green serve immigrants, communities, and difficult situations with humanity, grace, and decency. As a result, I was thrilled to answer the call and help create a way to serve these heroes and their families.

While here, I was deeply moved by the thousands of reminders and remembrances of these teachers and children murdered in such an evil, senseless manner. I found the city to be in a daze and the whole town seemed to be clouded in suspicion, anger, and fear. No, I’m not catastrophizing the challenges. The raw emotions are so tangible that I can feel them on my skin. From the schools to the parks and rec department. From the police to the churches. From Border Patrol to food servers, this city is a powder keg awaiting another eruption. Again – not any exaggeration is involved.

I spoke with a city worker who said, “Pastor, we are exhausted, tired and frustrated.” A pastor said, “we don’t really know what else to do.” A Border Patrol agent said, “Chuck, I spent two straight weeks at the school with angry, grieving families. I am coming apart at the seams.” That is just a sampling. To try and state the devastation thrown upon this little Bordertown is impossible to do with the written word.

So, where do we go from here? Here are the next five steps in trying to serve the people in Uvalde, and the Customs and Border Patrol families.

  1. Host an event for Uvalde school families on Friday, August 5. We will provide gift cards, school supplies, backpacks, food, an Amazon store filled with household needs, baby needs, food, and supplies, a water park for the kids, a bbq meal, pizzas for each family, live music, a lot of love, tons of prayer, and the love of Christ. All at zero expense to the people, churches, schools, etc.
  2. Host an event for the Uvalde and DelRio sectors of Customs and Border Patrol families with all of the same on Saturday, August 6. All without asking for handouts, taxing the locals, burdening the schools, or disturbing the already stressed law enforcement community.
  3. Set up a 5-year strategy to serve the families of Uvalde by helping serve the faith community, providing quarterly events like the ones in August, and helping bring hope to this hurting community with ministry, service, love, and resources. Not because they can’t, but because they are great people that will need help far beyond an event or two. One of the significant challenges in the American church is that we follow the same news cycle as the rest of the world. These folks in Uvalde deserve more than a news cycle and certainly more than one more photo opp or media opinion.
  4. Create a backpack ministry that mimics the 400-plus backpacks prepared at Sugar Hill Church and delivered to local schools for the four local schools in Uvalde…each Friday, every school week. This is a blue-collar town – my kind of people – and if a mom and dad can receive a little help and the local school counselors are the heroes, that’s a big win!
  5. Provide quarterly gatherings with live music, meaningful, encouraging messages, emotional support, and hopefully a way to provide additional mental health support. Finding a way to provide what we provide through ClearPath Counseling in Georgia, here in Uvalde would be a huge task and an equally huge win. Pastor Ozzie, who runs a first responder ministry and was on the scene the day of the shooting, stated that “every single family in Uvalde is part of a victim.”

It’s not free. It’s not sexy. It’s not simple. It’s the Gospel.

I’m headed back to Atlanta later today, and I’ll let you know more as our plans are finalized.
In the meantime, thank you for your prayers! For those of you that have already provided monetary support, thank you! For those of you that are interested, please send me an email HERE.

Have to go – I’m Exhausted, Chuck.

I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It

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Welcome to a new weekly offering entitled,
“I Might Be Wrong, But I Doubt It.”
It’s pretty simple. Every Thursday, I would like you to join me in a common sense discussion, and I’d love to hear from you as you tolerate my assumptions and studies that range from politics to faith, psychology to sports, and much more. Thanks for coming on board!

Now that I am considered in many places as a Sr. Adult (oh dear Lord), I have found that you can say almost anything and people just roll their eyes at you. As a result, I am highly motivated to say them! I went to a store the other day and was asked if “do you qualify for our senior discount?” My answer seemed polite enough, “how much is said discount?” And immediately, the eyes rolled. Her answer was relatively brief, with a dash of angst mixed with southern sweet tea kindness, “10% suga.” Are you kidding me? On a $28 purchase, I admitted to being 62 years of age and was happy to save that $2.80. And then, the gut punch, “Suga, you have to be 65 to receive the senior discount, I just thought you might be there.” Well, bless her heart. I’ll be back in three years, Suga.

Having gotten that off my chest, here are a few things that I am confident in.
I might be wrong about them, but I doubt it.

  1. PICK YOUR POISON – BUT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “NEWS SHOW”

    In a recent Gallup Poll, the following was no shock:
    -36% of the U.S. have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in mass media.
    -68% of Democrats, 31% of independents, and 11% of Republicans trust the media.
    -Democrats’ and Independents’ trust is down five points since 2020, and the GOP’s flat.

    These aren’t exactly shocking, but what is shocking is that the singular reason for this shift is that the business model for these outlets is designed to capture like-minded viewers and feed them what they want to hear. It is NOT to share the news. It would seem to me that if there were a new model that was designed to share the news, minus the biased commentary, people would actually watch and support that service. But then, I doubt it. We seem to enjoy getting all exacerbated about what the far left or far right have to think, as opposed to thinking for ourselves. I might be wrong, but I doubt it. The cure – STOP WATCHING BIASED-BASED COMMENTARY THAT ONLY BOILS YOU TO THE POINT OF ANGST, ANGER, and FEAR! Don’t take the bait!
  2. AMERICA DOESN’T TRUST HER LEADERS

    In a recent Washington Post article (not exactly a right-leaning outlet), their data shows that about two-thirds of adults, “including nearly identical shares in both parties,” said most people seeking elected office at all levels “do so to serve their own personal interests.” That data was reported by Pew Research. The article continues by saying that “the public has much more confidence in career federal employees than political appointees, but that is declining. The 52 percent confidence rating in career feds dropped nine points since 2018. That’s still significantly higher than the 39 percent rating for appointees.”

    I might be wrong, but I feel strongly that we need more than the standardized two-party system. We somehow seem to continue being directed toward leaders (and I use that term liberally) who represent the 15% margins on the right or the left. I know folks that are on those fringes, and most of them are obsessed with their news outlet of choice. But let’s face it, most of us are somewhere in the other 70% of the middle. We have left ourselves in a continually binary thought process that causes us to elect people with sketchy character, but somewhat favorable platforms when we should have the ability to elect leaders we trust. Trust is about at least two things – character and competency. We have women and men that have both, but as long as we sustain and tolerate a two-party, media-sizzling system, these folks are locked out. I might be wrong, but I doubt it!
  3. MOST OF AMERICA IS TIRED OF CHURCH, AND I DO NOT BLAME THEM

    In 1937, says Gallup, when they first measured formal membership in houses of worship, some 70% of Americans had formal church membership, and that measure remained steady for the next 60 years until it began a steady decline in 1998. In 2020, formal membership in houses of worship stood at 49%. Yikes! I would argue that in our post-COVID reality that the 49% number is low! Even prior to COVID, the church was in a steep decline and I would offer the following three reasons which just touch the surface of the problem:

    1. The church tried to copy the mainstream entertainment industry in its style of worship. They did so without understanding that Bride of Jesus was not another concert venue. The old adage that “what you reach them with, you keep them with” has never been more true. For the vast majority of churches attempting to mimic their Saturday night concert-going crowd, they just couldn’t pull it off!

    The church was designed to help people, of all colors, races, religions, backgrounds, identifications, pronouns, and political affiliations know God and discover their purpose in this life. The job wasn’t to be the coolest, hippest place in town. It wasn’t even designed to be the biggest church in town. The church that Jesus launched was to have the biggest heart in town.

    2. If you have the truth, speak it in love! Stop trying to scream down to folks that need hope. Stop, talk with them and encourage them. But by all means, stop screaming out all the ways in which they are wrong. Love folks, especially folks that seem to be most unlovely. Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? And yet, I know it is not. But the church must stop being known for all that it dislikes or even hates. The church must become known for Jesus and the cause, way, and life of Jesus – Period! When we act and react like Jesus, it will not be a result of which church or denomination we attend, but rather, that we attend church because of Jesus, not the music, preacher, or facility, or cool factor.

    3. Jesus cared about serving people and introducing them to the Kingdom of God. Both/And. Jesus taught us to love one another, with no condition. Jesus taught us to serve one another, with no condition. Jesus taught us to pray for one another, with no condition. Do you see the pattern? No condition. When Jesus says that the world will know us Christians by how we love each other, we should not be surprised when they yawn and roll over for a bit longer rather than joining in the worship in which our lives do not match up.

    I might be wrong on these, but I doubt it. What do you think?
    Please reply to THIS EMAIL and join my conversation.

Go in Peace, Chuck

Three Ways to Eliminate Worry

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AChuckAllen.com July 19, 2022

We all have moments in our life when we are worried, even fretful. But we live at such light speed that worry has become our national pastime.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

Corrie ten Boom

From the resurgence of COVID (which I am experiencing as I write this) to the vast unrest in the world, there’s a lot to worry about right now. The truth is that worrying does nothing to change the outcome. Absolutely nothing! It just keeps you stuck in a feeling of helplessness, hopelessness and stress. But negative thoughts are part of our biology and while you may not be able to stop them from happening, you can learn to stop them in their tracks. Some solutions help you deal with them.

1. STATE THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO

We have heard so much about simply changing our mindset about stress and worry, but I’d like to offer what I believe to be a better alternative. What if we shift the context to deal with the fear, or worry in another way. It’s a new term I learned last month – recontextualization, which is the skill of describing a condition and circumstances in a way that gives you an empowering reality.

Worry often occurs when we are trying something new, and the stakes feel really big. As a result, this worry we feel is founded in the fear of running the show. And the way to get back to positivity and away from negative emotions is through extreme negativity– yikes!

Many, maybe most of us have been taught about the modern positivity movement, including me. I’ve discovered that positivity alone is not sustainable. Instead, we can implement an aspect of realism and deal with things logically and sensibly. The process is super-simple and wildly empowering to your soul.

Matthew Ferry, the author of Quiet Mind, Epic Life, gives a name to the negative voice in your head, your “drunk monkey” mind. “It thinks it’s psychic and can predict the future,” he explains. “Turns out, the drunk monkey only predicts negative futures.”

So, we need to confront this so-called drunk monkey. But how? Well, thanks for asking. Start by writing out the negative future you’re afraid of. Then create a plan of what to do if worst happens. Most folks write out the worried about situation and then make a plan to avoid it. But this only keeps the worry in place. Instead, be completely negative and make a plan for the worst. Don’t give up on me just yet! By doing this, You’ll create a neutral perspective and a sense of peace. If the worst happens, you’ll know what do. This takes the drunk monkey out of consideration and opens your mental state for less worry. BOOM!

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

Proverbs 12:25

2. PRAY OUTLOUD

No, I’m not kidding! I’m a pastor for goodness sake. I have seen prayer work thousands of times. I’ve seen it work physically, mentally and emotionally. I’ve seen storms calmed, people healed, and children return home. I’ve seen marriages restored and relationships recovered. Yes, PRAY!

But here is the key. Pray and pray more. As the Bible teaches, “pray without ceasing.” pray specifically and pray with faith. The Divine promises to hear you, and He will respond in such a way that is for your good and His glory.

But please remember this. The Divine does not keep time as we do. He is not motivated by the same clock that we are. There is a reason that His ways are higher than ours. But you can trust Him in all ways, on all days. Pray, then pray some more.

But you might ask, “why should I pray out loud?” Here are two great reasons to pray out loud.

1. External declarations can change your internal dialogue. When we pray for things out loud, we change our inner dialogue and perspective. Praying things like, “Jesus, I know that You are enough” or “God, I know that You are greater than my grief” will build your faith and help change how you view things. I know this is true in my life.

2. Keeps you focused. Jesus reminds us, “Our spirit might be willing, but our flesh is weak.” If you’re prone to wandering during prayer, like me, praying out loud will help you remain focused. You’re more likely to stay in your zone with God through prayer when your brain listens to what your mouth is saying.

Then, ask others to pray for you. I genuinely feel like the simple act of humility of asking people to pray for you is one step in the right direction, no matter the scenario. PRAY!

3. Practice Gratitude and Generosity

Gratitude is something that we should practice daily, worry or no worry. Gratitude makes us aware of all the good things in our lives that we usually take for granted. I’ve written and said this at least 1,000 times – here’s to 1,001 – When you are grateful for what you have, what you have is more than enough!

Worry can make you feel sad. Things may seem amiss. How can you practice gratitude when you’re upset with everything that’s going on in your life? When you stop focusing on the things that are haywire and start looking at the little things that make your life worth living, you slowly experience a shift in attitude. Your general outlook towards life changes, making you a happier human. This happiness, in turn, helps relieve worry and eventually improves your overall mental health.

If you’re suffering from worry, you’re not alone. Worry and anxiety affect more than 18% of the United States population yearly. When you are fretful, it isn’t easy to find things you are thankful for. But trust me, they’re there.

Study after study has proven that gratitude increases neural modulation in the brain, in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates negative emotions. It also activates dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel good. The result is instant happiness, prompting you to engage in this practice repeatedly. Get grateful – get less worried.

By acknowledging that there are things in your life to be grateful for, you realize that your worries are irrational, and don’t deserve so much of your attention. This will ease worry and allow you to do the things you had been holding yourself back from doing. It seems like it’s worth a shot, right – dealing with worry and becoming a better human at the same time?

I’m convinced that if you write down three things you are grateful for every day, you will chase worry away!

Then activate generosity. Generosity is the natural response to gratitude. It might be time, money, service, or kindness. It might be a better attitude or offering a benefit of the doubt. Generosity can take on many different forms.

It sounds so simple. And it is, really. Generosity is good for our souls. It’s good for our mental, spiritual and physical health. According to an article in Medical News Today, “Humans thrive off social connections and benefit when they act in the service of others’ well-being.” Studying the brain, they discovered a direct correlation to targeted giving that impacts health. The study shows how the brain creates a neural pathway between the septal area and amygdala when support-giving to specific people we know who are in need. The article concluded: “Giving targeted support to an identifiable individual or organization in need is uniquely associated with reduced amygdala activity thereby may lead to health.” In short, when we give time or money to charitable causes, it activates regions of the brain connected to pleasure and trust, which creates that “less-worried” feeling.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

—John Holmes

There will always be less worry in living more like Jesus the Christ. Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full-pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

There, now go work on that worry and turn your life into a grateful, prayerful, servant-hearted leader. That’s the life your Creator made to live.

Go in Peace, Chuck

THREE WAYS TO BEAT THE MONDAY BLUES

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April 18, 2022

“Monday, Monday, so good to me.” The Mamas and the Papas launched that song in 1966. There have been a few changes in the world since ‘66.

But Monday hasn’t changed much. It is still the day that most of us never look forward to.

Monday has a special significance in our culture as the beginning of the week, which influences our mood and our physical, emotional, and spiritual health outcomes

The 7-day week and the meaning we associate with the days of the week is a social construct, and not based on biological or planetary cycles. But a host of negative outcomes, such as heart attacks and strokes, happen more frequently on Mondays as people transition back to the structured routine of the week.

Something about that doesn’t seem right. Furthermore, we shouldn’t give in to that. If it really is a social construct, and we can choose to make Monday better, why not do that?

A 2021 nationwide survey conducted by the Data Decisions Group tracked awareness and behavior related to Mondays and healthy behaviors. While 11% of people report that Monday is “a day to dread”, many people see Monday positively. They view it as an opportunity for a “fresh start” (40%) and a day to “get my act together” (18%).

83% of responders to the survey agreed that starting the week off healthy would help maintain a focus on health for the rest of the week.

Over the past few months, I’ve been radically focused on becoming a healthier husband, dad, grandad and pastor. I’ve learned the following three ways to kickoff my workweek. Please keep in mind that I’m a pastor. As a result, Monday morning could possibly be a bummer of a let down. But I’ve learned to make Monday one of my favorite days of the week.

1. PLAN YOUR WEEK ON SUNDAY EVENING.

You may not want to, but taking ten minutes to review your calendar, make appropriate adjustments, and make a few notes of a few things you need to add and delete to your schedule is one of the most impactful things you can invest ten-minutes in, always.

Make a very short list of four things you MUST accomplish this week. Write them down! Then prioritize them.

Keep that in front of you.

2. Set limits on the amount of time that you will spend that week on social media, television and enthralled with your smart devices.

Simple awareness of the time you spend on these often worthless efforts is half of your personal productivity and peace perspective.

Earl Sweatshirt once said, “Everyone’s like sheep on social media; like, one person starts making noise, and everyone’s like, ‘Hey, yeah!’ and then you got a whole bunch of people making noise at you.”

And, whether you like it or not, the man trying to buy Twitter said, “I think there should be regulations on social media to the degree that it negatively affects the public good.” -Elon Musk

Don’t let the addictive dopamine hit of a like, follow or friend determine your day, week, or attitude.

3. Determine to Rise Ten-Minutes Early Each Weekday.

Rising just 10-minutes early allows you room to do three things – yes I know I sound like a broken record – but this has had such a radical impact on my mental, emotional, and spiritual health. First, write down three things that you are grateful for. Don’t get all spiritual or intellectual on me. Keep it simple, but write it down. Second, read one chapter of the Bible-book of Proverbs. There’s 31 chapters. How ‘bout that? Third, write down 4-5 words that describe the person that you want to be or become this week. Again, keep it clear. Keep it simple. Keep it real.

As the Mamas and the Papas once sang, “Monday, Monday, so good to me. Every other day, every other day. Every other day, every other day of the week is fine, yeah.But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes. But whenever Monday comes, you can find me cryin’ all of the time”

I think I will choose a better Monday. How about you?

Go in Peace, Chuck