Where the mind goes, the body will follow.
Are you discouraged or fearful? Are you stressed about your health and future?
These are completely normal responses to adversity in our lives including when we are diagnosed with a chronic illness like an autoimmune condition. I’ve been there too!
All these feelings can lead to negative thinking, such as, this is my new normal, I’ll never be well again. That can affect other areas of life and lead to additional worries. Family, career, finances are a few.
Did you know that worries and negative thinking lead to stress, inflammation, and impact your health? In other words, it makes everything worse!
Why is that you may ask?
Negative thinking creates stress inside the body, even when we don’t realize it.
That doesn’t mean we should ignore reality or pretend everything is fine. Chronic illness is real, and difficult emotions are part of the journey. But when fearful, hopeless, or catastrophic thinking becomes our default pattern, the body can remain stuck in a prolonged stress response.
Research continues to show the connection between chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, inflammation, and overall health. When the body perceives ongoing stress, it releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this can impact sleep, digestion, immune balance, energy levels, and inflammation.
Our thoughts matter because they influence how our bodies respond internally.
As I shared in my memoir, Faithful Autoimmune Remission, there were seasons when I felt overwhelmed by uncertainty. I didn’t know what was happening in my body, and fear quietly became part of my daily life.
Since then I’ve learned by experience and often say: “Where the mind goes, the body tends to follow.”
One of the most important shifts in my healing journey was learning to become aware of my thought patterns instead of allowing them to control me. I had to learn how to interrupt fear.
For me, that looked like:
- spending quiet time with God
- journaling my thoughts
- practicing gratitude
- taking prayer walks
- limiting negative input (from myself and others)
- replacing fearful thoughts with truthful, grounded ones
Romans 12:2 NLT says:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
This scripture is truth! It’s meaningful to me because I realized healing isn’t only physical. It involves the whole person — body, mind, and spirit.
Mindset is one of the foundational pillars of whole-person wellness because our internal dialogue shapes how we experience life, stress, and healing.
How to Change Negative Thinking
One simple practice that helped me is what I call “reframing.” Reframing doesn’t change the facts or circumstances but changes how you look at them. It’s a different view of the world.
When I notice myself spiraling into fear or discouragement, I pause and intentionally choose a more supportive thought. I flip the script from negative to positive. Choosing to be grateful.
Instead of:
“I’ll never feel better.”
I can gently remind myself:
“Healing takes time, and I can support my body one step at a time.”
Those small mindset shifts may seem simple, but over time they helped create peace instead of constant internal tension.
If you’ve been struggling with discouragement or negative thinking, please know this:
You are not failing and your body is not your enemy. Healing is not about pretending hard things don’t exist. It’s about learning to create more peace, grace, and support within your mind and body while continuing to partner with appropriate medical care and healthy lifestyle practices.
Small thoughts and shifts matter and over time those small changes can create meaningful healing momentum.
In love and health,
Terri
