A Woman’s Journey through “As a Woman Thinketh”

By Cheryl Scott, LMHC

Chapter 1: Thought and Character

“As a woman thinketh in her heart, so is she.”

• Clinical Insight: Our core beliefs act as the “operating system” for our personality.
• Reflection: List three words that describe your current character. Trace each word back to a recurring thought you’ve had over the last year.
• The Practice: For 24 hours, “watch” your thoughts as if you were a third party. Don’t judge them; just notice if they are seeds of flowers or seeds of weeds.

Chapter 2: Effect of Thought on Circumstances

“The garden of the mind.”

• Clinical Insight: While we cannot always control what happens to us, we control the “soil” in which those events land.
• Reflection: Look at a difficult circumstance in your life right now. Without blame, ask yourself: “What internal thought pattern has allowed this environment to persist?”
• The Practice: “Weeding the Garden.” Identify one negative thought you repeat daily and “pull it up” by replacing it with a specific, bright truth.

Chapter 3: Effect of Thought on Health and Body

“The body is the servant of the mind.”

• Clinical Insight: The mind-body connection is real. Chronic stress (fearful thoughts) manifests as physical tension.
• Reflection: Where in your body do you hold your thoughts? (Shoulders, jaw, stomach?) What is that tension trying to tell you?
• The Practice: Every morning, “clothe” your mind in a thought of vitality. Say: “My thoughts are pure, and my body responds with ease.”

Chapter 4: Thought and Purpose

“The intellectual anchor.”

• Clinical Insight: A life without a central purpose is prone to anxiety and “aimless drifting.”
• Reflection: If you were not afraid of failing, what one “Great Purpose” would you dedicate your mental energy to right now?
• The Practice: The “Anchor Breath.” Whenever you feel overwhelmed, return to your central purpose. Does this current worry serve that purpose? If not, let it go.

Chapter 5: The Thought-Factor in Achievement

“All that a woman achieves… is the direct result of her own thoughts.”

• Clinical Insight: Self-efficacy—the belief in your ability to succeed—is the engine of achievement.
• Reflection: What “luxury” of negative thinking (self-pity, blame, or laziness) are you willing to sacrifice to reach your next goal?
• The Practice: Identify one goal. Write down the “Thought-Price” you must pay (e.g., “I must sacrifice the thought that I am not enough”).

Chapter 6: Visions and Ideals

“The dreamers are the saviors of the world.”

• Clinical Insight: Visualization is a clinical tool used to prime the brain for new behaviors.
• Reflection: Describe your “Bright Beautiful Life” in vivid detail. What does it look like? How does it feel? Who is there with you?
• The Practice: Spend 5 minutes each morning in your “Mental Sanctuary,” fully inhabiting this vision before you start your day.

Chapter 7: Serenity

“Tempest-tossed souls… the Blessing of Peace.”

• Clinical Insight: Mindfulness and poise are the end-result of consistent mental discipline.
• Reflection: Think of a recent “storm” in your life. How much more quickly could you have navigated it if you had remained “internally still”?
• The Practice: The “Self-Sovereignty” check. Throughout the day, ask yourself: “Am I the master of this moment, or am I letting my environment master me?”

Final Blessing

“May your thoughts be bright and your life be beautiful.”