Sikeston woman pens book about taking negative thoughts captive

SIKESTON — After years of experiencing negative thoughts about herself and wondering where they were coming from and what she could do about them, Sikeston resident Freida Denise Cardwell decided to pen a book to inspire herself and others who were feeling the same way.

“I had a drive to succeed and to feel my purpose, but negative thoughts were taking me captive,” Cardwell said. “I am also a Christian motivational speaker, and I have talked to many women that struggle with negative thinking. I wanted to write this book to show women how they can change their thought patterns and be ‘overcomers.’”

In her new book, “Lion’s Mentality,” Cardwell said she uses practical steps and illustrations on how individuals can take every thought captive and encourage themselves.

“It explains the pitfalls and the downward spiral that we can experience if we are not aware of what’s happening,” Cardwell said. “Most of our thoughts are negative and they are repetitive so we must take our thoughts captive.”

In her book, Cardwell reveals some stories of interviews with her friends along the way.

“The lion isn’t the biggest, the fastest or the smartest animal in the kingdom, but he is the king because of his mentality,” Cardwell said. “He doesn’t give up, and if he isn’t successful, he tries and tries again. He has no fear because he believes in himself and has the confidence to fulfill his purpose.”

A book signing is planned for noon to 2 p.m. March 17 at The Ground-A-Bout in Sikeston.

“Lion’s Mentality” is the second book Cardwell has written. In 2020, she released her first book, a women’s devotional, “Jesus is Talking to Me.” She also plans to write a children’s book with her granddaughter.

“I believe that this book can be life-changing,” Cardwell said. “We do have control of our thoughts, and our thoughts make us who we are. We are who we say we are, and sometimes our scars in our past experiences give us a false judgment of ourselves. We are overcomers, and we are women that are strong just watch us roar.”

“Lion’s Mentality” can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and most brick-and-mortar stores.