Changing your Emotional Program is one of the hardest things you ever do in your life. Your first emotional program is your survival program. It was established in childhood. The second emotional program is built in adulthood. It will be built on top of the first program. It will be richer, deeper, and more mature than the first program.

Remember, you never get rid of the first part of your emotional program. It was programmed and trained-in since childhood. The second part of your program contains new skills, insights, wisdom, and awareness. These are things you can only acquire in adulthood.

You’ve heard this comment before, “When are you going to grow up?” That means when are you going to add the second-half maturity skills to your life? Some individuals live their whole lives and then die, having only used their childhood survival skills. And, God loves them just the same. Others become aware that to enjoy the depth and richness of life, one needs to develop these second-half emotional skills. Most individuals with an addiction didn’t develop second-half emotional skills. Instead, they spent their life practicing escaping, avoiding, and denial skills.

It’s never too late for growth. You start by making this statement: “I’m on an emotional growth mission.”

Prayer

Father, open my eyes, mind, and heart. I want more out of life. I want to move past my old small thinking. I cannot do it without you. I want emotional growth. Please help me with emotional awareness. And, help me bond closer to my wife. I know there’s more but I don’t know how to get there. Please help me with emotional growth. Amen.

Bible Connection

When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. – 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)