Every January, millions of people start strong — full of motivation, fresh goals, and big expectations. But by February, most resolutions have already faded. In today’s episode, Brenda uncovers the powerful blend of Scripture + neuroscience that explains why this happens and what God designed your brain to do instead.

You’ll discover how the amygdala, Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), and prefrontal cortex influence your decisions, how old habits create mental “ruts,” and why perfectionism and fear keep you stuck at the starting line. Through biblical truth and practical insight, Brenda shows you how mind renewal — not resolutions — brings true transformation.

• Change is hard because your brain is wired for familiarity, not transformation.
• Resolutions fail when old neural pathways overpower new intentions.
• The amygdala, ACC, and prefrontal cortex play distinct roles in fear, hesitation, and clarity.
• Shame isn’t the problem — wiring is. And wiring can be changed.
• Mind renewal bridges the gap between who God says you are and how your brain is currently trained to think.
• The enemy uses old thought patterns to keep you stuck; the Holy Spirit empowers new ones.

Understanding how your brain responds to change helps you stop fighting battles you were never meant to fight alone. When you see that fear, hesitation, and perfectionism are rooted in old wiring—not personal weakness—you can approach growth with compassion, confidence, and renewed hope. This episode gives you the clarity you need to begin 2026 with a healthier mindset and a stronger foundation for transformation.

This episode lays the foundation for the entire December series and helps you begin 2026 with clarity, confidence, and renewed identity.

Today’s episode introduces the first step of the Mind Renewal Framework: Awareness. Instead of trying to fix everything at once, you’ll begin by noticing the thoughts and patterns shaping your daily reactions. This simple starting point helps you identify where old wiring is still influencing your emotions and decisions, and prepares your heart and mind for the deeper work we’ll walk through in the coming weeks.

• Click to download → Awareness Worksheet
• Listen to the MIRACLE that started it all: EP 1 — The Story Behind Day One of Sobriety.
• Join the Day One of Sobriety Insiders to receive the weekly email newsletter!
• Engage with other Overcomers and access all episode resources at the Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community.

1. Leave a podcast review! It helps others find the podcast and join us on the healing journey (Romans 12:2).
2. Explore this week’s Day One of Sobriety Blog for more encouragement.
3. Go Deeper with 1:1 coaching support! Get the details ▶️ Mind Renewal Coaching.

📧 Email: brenda@day1ofsobriety.org

🎙 Podcast: Day One of Sobriety Podcast

📝 Blog: Day One of Sobriety Blog

📘 Facebook: @day1ofsobriety

📷 Instagram: @day1ofsobriety

The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

In this powerful episode, Brenda explores how gratitude becomes a healing force for your mind, body, and emotions. Blending Scripture with brain science, she explains why gratitude is far more than a positive thought — it’s a God-designed mind renewal tool that rewires emotional patterns, calms the nervous system, and anchors the heart in peace. You’ll learn why practicing gratitude (not just knowing about it) transforms your life, and you’ll hear a practical 5-step process you can begin using today.

🔑 Key Episode Insights

• Gratitude is one of the most powerful mind renewal strategies in Scripture and neuroscience.
• Gratitude interrupts spiraling thoughts and shifts the brain out of survival mode.
• Holding gratitude for 20–30 seconds begins forming new neural pathways.
• Speaking gratitude out loud strengthens emotional regulation and clarity.
• Practicing gratitude consistently restores peace even when circumstances don’t change.

Your brain is constantly wiring and rewiring based on what you focus on. Gratitude activates the areas of the brain responsible for peace, clarity, and emotional stability — reducing anxiety, rumination, and overwhelm. Spiritually, gratitude re-centers your heart on God’s goodness and opens the door to His peace. When practiced intentionally, gratitude becomes a healing rhythm that transforms your mindset and emotional patterns over time.

This episode introduces The Gratitude Reset™, a simple 5-step mind renewal practice designed to help you shift your thoughts when stress or overwhelm begins to rise. You’ll learn how to pause, identify God’s goodness, savor it, speak it out loud, and take a next peaceful step. Download the full Gratitude Reset™ resource inside the Mind Renewal Made Simple Facebook Community or by becoming a Day One of Sobriety Insider.

• Episode 17 — Hurting and Need Hope? God’s Presence is the Place That Heals Everything
• Listen to the MIRACLE that started it all: EP 1 — The Story Behind Day One of Sobriety.
• Join the Day One of Sobriety Insiders to receive the weekly email newsletter!
• Engage with other Overcomers and access all episode resources at the Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community.

1. Leave a podcast review! It helps others find the podcast and join us on the healing journey (Romans 12:2).
2. Explore this week’s Day One of Sobriety Blog for more encouragement.
3. Go Deeper with 1:1 coaching support! Get the details ▶️ Mind Renewal Coaching.

📧 Email: brenda@day1ofsobriety.org

🎙 Podcast: Day One of Sobriety Podcast

📝 Blog: Day One of Sobriety Blog

📘 Facebook: @day1ofsobriety

📷 Instagram: @day1ofsobriety

The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and spiritual growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or medical treatment. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

Do you feel guilty when you say “no”? Do you carry the weight of everyone’s emotions, feeling responsible for their peace but never your own?

In this episode of the Day One of Sobriety Podcast, we continue our deep dive into People-Pleasing & Approval Addiction. You’ll learn why setting boundaries isn’t selfish — it’s biblical and brain-based. We’ll unpack how boundaries retrain your brain for peace, why guilt shows up when you start saying “no,” and how to heal codependent patterns that go beyond people-pleasing.

• Why healthy boundaries are not walls but guardrails that protect peace.
• What happens in the brain when you start saying no — and why your nervous system feels discomfort before calm.
• The difference between people-pleasing and codependency — and why the latter requires deeper emotional and relational healing.
• How boundary-setting strengthens the prefrontal cortex–amygdala connection, helping you replace crisis reactions with calm choices.
• Why Jesus modeled boundaries — and how His example shows that “no” can be holy.
• How guarding your heart and peace aligns with God’s design and rewires your mind for freedom.

If people-pleasing steals your peace, codependency steals your identity. Both are rooted in fear — fear of rejection, fear of disapproval, or fear of being alone.

Neuroscience shows that when you renew your mind and consistently practice new boundary patterns, your brain rewires itself. Spiritually, boundaries are acts of stewardship. They protect the purpose God placed within you.

Freedom starts when you stop confusing love with rescue and start walking in truth and trust instead.

• Mark 1:35–38 — Even Jesus didn’t meet every expectation. He modeled spiritual boundaries by stepping away to reconnect with His Father. Boundaries help us stay aligned with purpose instead of pressure.
• Galatians 6:5 — Boundaries define what belongs to us and what doesn’t. You are responsible for your peace, your growth, and your obedience to God — not for carrying someone else’s emotions or responsibilities.
• Proverbs 4:23 — Guarding your heart isn’t selfish — it’s stewardship. Protecting your peace ensures that what flows from you remains healthy, holy, and aligned with God’s will.
• Psalm 16:6 — God sees boundaries as blessings. When we honor them, we discover that peace, purpose, and contentment fall within the lines He’s lovingly drawn for us.

• 🎧 Listen to: EP23 — People-Pleasing & Approval Addiction: Break Free by Renewing Your Mind
• 📄 Download the free Codependency Healing Research Summary — a one-page guide to understanding deeper healing from codependency.
• 💖 Free 14-Day Devotional: Break Free from People-Pleasing — available inside the Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community or delivered to your inbox when you become a Day One of Sobriety Insider.

1. Become a Day One of Sobriety Insider — receive podcast devotionals, reflection tools, and weekly mind renewal resources straight to your inbox.📍 Join Here
2. Connect in Community — engage with other Overcomers inside our Mind Renewal Solutions Made Simple Facebook Community. Healing is always stronger in community.
3. Go Deeper with 1:1 Coaching. Learn how to rebuild your thought life and relationships on biblical truth and brain renewal science ▶ Mind Renewal Coaching

📧 Email: brenda@day1ofsobriety.org 🎙 Podcast: Day One of Sobriety Podcast 📝 Blog: Day One of Sobriety Blog 📘 Facebook: @day1ofsobriety 📷 Instagram: @day1ofsobriety

The Day One of Sobriety podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult your physician or licensed therapist for all medical or mental health advice.