Baggage...or Memories?
Sep 06, 2021
"Wouldn't it be great if emotional baggage could be lost just as easy as aircraft luggage?"
― Anonymous
My Facebook memories have been about the move from Grandview to Tri-Cities that we made September 3, 2019. I'm still amazed at all the stuff we had accumulated in the nineteen years that we lived in Grandview. Even though we only lived in the Sherilyn Ct. house for 15 years, I say nineteen, because I don't think we ever unpacked all the stuff we had when we moved to Grandview in 2000.
I can't remember how many big garbage bags of stuff I took to Goodwill in the move to Tri-Cities; two boxes of books, 25 musical cds, miscellaneous nicknacks, some guitar shaped sunglasses (Lord knows where those came from,) six big bags of clothes and shoes...mine. The shoes were high-heeled shoes that I loved, but couldn't wear anymore because wearing them was painful. They had been in my closet for years.
Packing and purging brought some great memories. I'm not gonna lie, it was emotional at times. I found a sweater that Mom wore. It was old...still had the shoulder pads...and was all balled up. I held it up close to my face, tried to put it in the Goodwill bag and then the good-memory tears fell. Nope, could not let go of that. All of the refrigerator art the kids made went with us, too. Dennis kept a sweater that his mom made for him 50 years ago, even though he never wore it. 
It was fascinating to see what went with us and what got left at Goodwill. It's kinda like our belief systems. Those memories and beliefs that hold us back need to go. Those negative beliefs can still write the script for our lives if we aren't careful. "I can't do this because I'm too old, too young, too fat, too skinny, I failed there before, I have no clue how I could, I don't have enough money or" geesh, you fill in the blank.
Instead of "I can't, because," how about you BE the CAUSE that overcomes those limiting beliefs and designs your own life? How about you BE CAUSATIVE and pack those defeatist attitudes up in a big black garbage bag and haul them out to the curb for the trash man. Go back, rewrite those gloomy memories so they serve you. Learn from them because you're not that person any more. You probably would do it differently and better as the person you are now. You bet I would be a sober and better parent if I understood then what I do now.
If the memory or event is a secret something that someone has done to you that has had a terrible impact, find a trusted friend or coach and tell them about it. Shame and/or guilt loves to be kept secret, and they both are dispelled when brought out into the open. I've experienced tremendous emotional freedom handling my past this way.
Remember, where our focus goes, there our energy flows. When we think about our past, let's direct the most energy on our great achievements and warm memories. But most of all, let's center our attention on our goals, dreams and those desires that might be in our future. That's the kind of emotional energy that propels us forward,
Being causative,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
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