Let me guess what’s stopping you right now.
You think it’s the lack of money. The oversaturated market. The small town you live in. The job you can’t find. The support you don’t have.
Wrong.
I spent years believing the same lies. And then one day, driving to the gym, trying to do something good for myself, I heard it. Clear as day. The real problem.
It was me. Talking to myself. And I was vicious.
- “You’re so inconsistent.”
- “You always quit.”
- “Remember all those times you failed?”
If anyone else had spoken to me like that, I would’ve cut them off. But I was doing it to myself — every single day, on repeat, without even realizing it.
That day changed everything. Because I finally understood: The invisible force controlling my life wasn’t my circumstances. It was my thoughts.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, sabotaged by your own mind, or like you’re your own worst enemy — this is for you.
Why Most People Stay Stuck in Negative Thought Patterns
You Don’t Realize You’re Listening to Yourself
Most of us go through life with our thoughts playing like background music. We don’t hear them. We just feel their effects.
You wake up exhausted. You scroll social media and suddenly feel worse. You sit down to work and feel overwhelmed before you even start.
What you don’t realize is that underneath all of that, there’s a soundtrack running:
- “I’m behind.”
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “This won’t work anyway.”
You’re not struggling because life is hard. You’re struggling because you’re unconsciously agreeing with thoughts that are tearing you down.
You Think Positive Thinking Alone Will Fix It
Here’s what doesn’t work: trying to “think positive” while your subconscious is screaming the opposite.
You can’t just slap an affirmation over a deep-rooted belief and expect it to stick. Your mind will reject it like a bad organ transplant.
I tried this for years. I’d tell myself, “I’m consistent! I’m confident!” while simultaneously thinking, “Yeah, right. You’ve failed at this a hundred times.”
You can’t out-think your thoughts. You have to reprogram them.
The Real Reason It’s Not Working
Here’s the insight that changed everything for me:
Your thoughts aren’t passive. They’re creative.
Every thought you think creates a neural pathway. Think it enough times, and that pathway becomes a highway — your brain’s default route.
So when you repeatedly tell yourself:
- “I’m broke”
- “I’m lazy”
- “Nothing works for me”
Your brain believes you. And then it gets to work making sure your behavior matches that belief.
You’re not stuck because you lack willpower. You’re stuck because you’ve been programming yourself for failure without realizing it.
The Turning Point – What Changed Everything
My Story: The Gym Parking Lot Epiphany
That day driving to the gym, when I finally heard myself, something clicked.
I realized I’d been doing to myself what I’d never tolerate from anyone else. Reminding myself of every failure. Bringing up my past mistakes. Telling myself I’d never change.
And the result? I was inconsistent. I didn’t follow through. Because I’d convinced myself that’s who I was.
But in that moment, I had a choice: keep listening to that voice, or interrupt it.
I turned on a motivational podcast. Then a worship song. And I focused so hard on the words coming through my speakers that I couldn’t hear my own toxic thoughts anymore.
My mind was too busy absorbing: “To become something you’ve never been, you have to do something you’ve never done.”
And just like that, I’d discovered the secret weapon: strategic distraction through intentional input.
The Insight I Wish I Had Sooner
You can’t just stop negative thoughts. Your brain doesn’t work that way.
But you can replace them. You can crowd them out. You can power wash your mind with something so strong, so intentional, that the old thoughts have nowhere to go.
That’s not positive thinking. That’s thought replacement therapy. And it works.
The Power Wash Method — My Step-by-Step Process
Step 1 – Catch Yourself: Identify the Toxic Soundtrack
You can’t change what you can’t see. So the first step is simple but uncomfortable: Turn off all the noise and listen to your thoughts. No music. No podcast. No TV. Just you and your mind.
What are you telling yourself about yourself? About your life? About your future?
Why This Step Matters
Most people never do this. They live their entire lives with toxic thoughts running on autopilot, wondering why they feel stuck.
According to research, we have between 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day — and 80% of them are negative. If you’re not intentional about what’s playing in your head, your brain will default to fear, doubt, and self-criticism.
Quick Action You Can Take
Right now, grab your phone or a notebook. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Sit in silence and write down every thought that comes up. Don’t filter it. Just capture it. You’ll be shocked at what you’ve been telling yourself.
Step 2 – Rewrite the Script: Write the Opposite
Once you’ve identified the lies, it’s time to write the truth. For every negative thought, write the opposite statement next to it.
- “I’m inconsistent” → “I’m building consistency one day at a time”
- “Nothing works for me” → “Things are working out in ways I can’t see yet”
- “I’m not enough” → “I am enough, and I’m becoming more every day”
Common Mistake to Avoid
Don’t write what you wish were true. Write what you’re choosing to believe. There’s a difference between wishful thinking and intentional belief. One is passive. The other is a decision.
Example in Action
When I was struggling with inconsistency, I wrote: “I show up even when it’s hard. That’s who I’m becoming.”
I posted it on my bathroom mirror. My car dashboard. My laptop. And every time I saw it, I wasn’t just reading it. I was choosing it.
Step 3 – Find Your Power Wash Song: Strategic Input That Interrupts the Loop
Here’s where it gets powerful. You need to find something — a song, a sermon, a speech — that speaks directly to what you’re struggling with.
Not just any motivational content. The right content. The one that makes you feel something. The one that hits different.
For me, when I was dealing with stalkers and living in constant fear, it was “Perfect Peace” by Ryan Ellis. I played that song obsessively. In the car. At home. While working. While falling asleep. And slowly, the fear got power washed out of my mind.
Why This Step Matters
Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When you’re actively listening to something that contradicts your negative thoughts, those thoughts lose their power. You’re not ignoring the problem. You’re giving your mind something stronger to hold onto.
Quick Action You Can Take
Identify the #1 struggle you’re facing right now. Is it fear? Lack of provision? Loneliness? Self-doubt? Now find a song, podcast episode, or sermon that speaks directly to that. Save it. Make it your go-to for the next 30 days.
Step 4 – Replay It Until It Reprograms You: Repetition Is the Key
This isn’t a one-time thing. You can’t listen to a song once and expect your mind to change. You have to saturate your mind with it. Let it play on repeat until the words become your thoughts instead of the old toxic ones.
Why This Step Matters
Neuroscience shows that it takes consistent repetition to create new neural pathways. Your brain has been running the old program for years. You have to be intentional about installing the new one.
Example in Action
When I was struggling with peace, I didn’t just listen to “Perfect Peace” occasionally. I listened to it constantly.
And one day, I realized something had shifted. My automatic response to fear was no longer panic. It was: “God’s got this.” I didn’t have to try to believe it. It had become my default. That’s the power of repetition.
Fast Wins – What You Can Do in the Next 7 Days
3 Actions You Can Take Now
- Right now, spend 5 minutes in silence. Write down the thoughts running through your mind. Don’t judge them. Just capture them.
- Tomorrow morning, before you pick up your phone, speak one truth out loud: “Today, I choose (peace/strength/confidence/provision).” Say it even if you don’t feel it.
- Find your power wash song by the end of this week. Make a playlist. Play it every time you’re in the car, working, or feeling overwhelmed.
Proof – What Happens When This Works
Real Results From Applying This
- I went from sleeping with a gun under my pillow to sleeping in peace — while the situation was still happening.
- I went from telling myself I was inconsistent to showing up every single day — and actually believing I was capable.
- I went from constant anxiety about money to a deep, unshakable belief that provision was coming — and it did.
This isn’t theory. This is what happened when I started power washing my mind.
The Cost of Staying Stuck
Here’s what happens if you don’t do this:
- Five years from now, you’ll still be telling yourself the same lies.
- You’ll still feel stuck in the same patterns.
- You’ll still wonder why nothing changes.
Meanwhile, the real problem was never your circumstances. It was the voice in your head agreeing with them.
What I Want You to Remember
Your thoughts aren’t just background noise. They’re the invisible force directing your life.
Change your thoughts, change your life. It’s not magic. It’s strategic.
You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be reprogrammed.
And the beautiful thing? You have the power to do that starting today.
Want to take this deeper? My PrayHER Journal is designed to help you track your thoughts, rewrite your internal script, and power wash your mind through intentional prayer and reflection. It’s the tool that helps you do this work consistently. Grab your copy here!
P.S. I’m dropping my personal power wash playlist below. These are the worship songs that literally reprogrammed my mind during the hardest seasons of my life. Start listening today. Your future self will thank you.
