Yeah, we brag about achieving frequent flyer status. However, we are all frequent flyers when it comes to bouncing around the past, present, and future. We do it continuously. Call it lessons learned (past). Call it a to-do list (present). Call it goal-setting (future). The challenge is spending our time in the place it will do the most good, which is living and taking action in THE NOW!
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” Henry David Thoreau
Baggage Restrictions
Time traveling is something we do frequently and with great ease. How often have we asked our love ones to visualize their future? Even when someone is fully living in the present–living in the now–they still may not be achieving their desired results. Could this be because of excess baggage they drag with them from their past?
We might do well to adapt the guidelines and restrictions placed upon our luggage when we fly (in real time) out of town. The best advice seems to be, the less we bring with us the faster we will pass through the check points and reach our desired destination.
“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.” Groucho Marx
One Bag Only, Please
The future we dream about is like the narrow security checkpoints in the airport terminal. We can pass through them quickly and easily provided we are not carrying anything that will hurt ourselves or others. The bags we carry-on must be limited to one and must be small enough to pass through the “time machine.”
If we are lugging an enormous trunk full of yesterday’s baggage, we are simply not going to fit through the gap. Even if we check this extra luggage, it will only cost additional time and effort at Baggage Claim and be waiting for us at our destination. Do we really need to bring all this stuff with us? In reality, we can either jettison our baggage from the past or go nowhere fast.
Consider this:
- Is what your carrying positive or negative?
- Is it a good or bad memory?
- Is it anything that you can change now?
- Is it a conversation that should take place?
- Is it a negative unknown assumption?
- Is it an automatic negative thought?
- Do you use language that includes, “I always” or “I never?”
- Are you using language such as, “but if” or “I can’t?”
Believe it or not any of these dark or angry thoughts are disempowering. News flash, GET OVER IT and Get rid of that stink ‘in think ‘in. You have too much life to live, too many places to go, and too many people to see.
If you are not living in the NOW, and have disempowering thoughts, think about assigning yourself an empowerment accountability partner that communicates with you frequently. Ask them to call-out when you have negative conversation, and ask them to highlight and acknowledge when your conversation and tone is positive and empowering.
If you are carrying baggage from yesteryear… you must release it! Not for them, but for you. It’s not healthy to carry anger. Lisa Firestone Ph.D. says, “The benefits of forgiveness include reducing anger, hurt, depression and stress, while increasing feelings of optimism, hope, compassion, physical vitality, self–efficacy, conflict resolution skills and confidence.
Release the excess baggage, live in the NOW and happy travels!
Lisa Morgan Mosley
Biz Growth Coach
https://www.212degreescoaching.com
lisa@212degreescoaching.com
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