Carry less!

A few months ago I replaced my cellphone because I had dropped it one too many times. Not to take all of the blame - I have a couple of younger accomplices who contributed to the damage.

This afternoon, while trying to get the three kids into the mini-van - I dropped my current cellphone on the pavement and the back cover for the battery went flying.

Did it break?

Nope...it survives another day. Phew!

The lesson learned here for me is pretty simple.

Carry less.

Pretty easy right? I mean, I was holding one kid in his baby carrier, another kid in my arms, while trying to get the keys for the car...yadda, yadda, yadda - the cellphone took a dive!

As instantly as I picked up the phone - the thought came to me, "Carry less. Huh...there is your next blog."

And here it is.

It takes very little common sense to notice that I was carrying too much in my hands to still maintain effectiveness. You can only carry so much before something has to give - in this case - the phone.

It made me think about this past week for me. For some reason, I have been uncharacteristically carrying around a lot of unproductive baggage in my head. Thoughts of fear, uncertainty, discouragement, insecurity, jealousy, and a pinch of ego (just for flavor).

Carrying these thoughts around for too long becomes very draining - as well as influencing my overall state of happiness.

Not good.

Plus, the longer I carry these around - at some point - something is going to fall - and most likely it will be much worse than a cell phone.

So, enough is enough. It ends today.

Here is the deal. We all have a limited amount that we can carry around (either physically or mentally). And to be real clear here - WE CHOOSE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE CARRY AROUND. No one else chooses it for us. Sure, people may try to pack our bag for us - but we ultimately choose whether we are going to pick it up and carry it around. It's only on us.

We all carry around negative emotions and feelings from time to time - the problem is - as long as we carry them around, the heavier they get. Want me to further this point?

Try this - put your hands above your head and hold up your arms. Keep them up - start now! (I'll come back to you - so keep reading).

As we continue to carry around this baggage - we get to a point where it is hard to distinguish our back from the backpack. Know what I mean? Instead of seeing it as baggage - we get to the point where we see it as our identity - as who we are.

Is that really what we want to do?

We can only carry around so much - so we need to get real selective about what we are choosing to carry around. I have probably used this quote in the past by Mary Baker Eddy, but it is relevant here again. She says, "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously."

Are you standing porter for your thoughts? What are you putting in your backpack and carrying around?

Okay - how are your arms doing? Kind of feeling it - aren't you? Okay - you can put them down.

Sure, a negative, cynical, or apathetic thought here and there may not seem that detrimental - but when you keep it in your bag - and then let it grow - it can and will snowball into something ugly.

What ugly thoughts are you carrying around...about your boss...co-worker...spouse...government, etc.?

What does your bag look like? Do you like what you see - or is it time to empty out your bag and take stock of what you have been carrying around?

Odds are - some of that baggage has passed its expiration date - so it might look foul.

With the holidays approaching and everything that goes along with that - now is the perfect time to clean out your backpack and make sure you are happy with what you are choosing to carry around.

Just make sure you pack light...or is it lite? They both work :)

If anyone wants some help figuring out how to pack your bag - just give me a call!

Much love!

Travis

PS - A friend sent me a link to this video called "Shift Happens." I think you will enjoy it. (Thanks James)
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/video/shifthappens