I was sitting at my computer thinking about what I want to write about this week, when I was notified about emails in my inbox. I looked, they were all junk, so I moved them into the junk folder. I then went to my junk folder to see it was full of lots of rubbish, so with one simple hit of a button, I deleted 100’s of junk mail. It felt great to have an empty junk folder. Like magic, this week’s blog topic came to me. How many of us are carrying around junk, when it’s so simple to hit the delete button?
I am a classic computer hoarder. I have stuff on my computer that’s well over ten years old, stuff I know I’ll never look at or use again. Often times, I wonder why my computer runs slow, takes a while to process things, occasionally freezes and sometimes shuts down. Well, my wonderful father-in-law, Paul, is my computer savior. He continually tells me it’s time to tidy things up, clear the junk and allow the computer to do what it can do so wonderfully well. Did you know that you and I are much like a computer? When our minds and hearts are full of outdated information, doubts, fears. Limiting beliefs and other junk, how do you think you are going to perform? Well, like my computer; slowly, inconsistently, occasionally freezing, and sometimes, or even permanently, shutting down!
Your computer, over time, picks up information, files, documents, bugs and viruses that will compromise and even debilitate its function. The same happens in life, and over time, we pick up information, opinions, criticisms, judgement, incorrect advice, bugs and viruses that, if left unchecked to pile up, will totally debilitate us, our day to day activities and our lives. Just as the performance of your computer is predictable based on the programs and junk, so to your performance and outcomes in life are predictable, based on what you keep stored in your head and heart. Is it time to start deleting?
I attended a funeral during the week, and, walked away absolutely inspired by a man who knew how to delete the junk. Denis was the father of a good friend of mine who passed away at the age of 84. What is unique about this extraordinary man is that he had a massive, life-altering heart attack more than 33 years earlier that, according to doctors, should have killed him. I remember the day very clearly, back in October 1985. I was a third year Phys Ed. Student and at the time I was holidaying on the Gold Coast with his son, Stuart, and a couple of other friends from college. We were 21, cheeky and having lots of fun! Stuart got the call from his mother, and, we took him straight to the airport to head home and be with his 51-year-old father, maybe, he feared, for the last time.
Doctors told the family, it was so serious a heart-attack, they should prepare themselves for the worst and that he probably wouldn’t make it through the night. They were told they should get a priest to come and do last rites. Well, Denis did make it through the night, and even though doctors told him he may not have long to live and that his life would be very different, Denis decided to delete that negative rubbish from his mind and replace it with empowering thoughts of life, love and healing. From that time, he had more heart attacks and even a heart transplant in 1999. Yet every time he had a health issue, and was told the bad news, he would delete the junk and focus on what he wanted, and the things that were important to him; his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Delete and then replace.
Denis lived more than 33 years beyond many people’s educated expectations, and was around to love and inspire his family, simply because he chose to delete the junk and replace it with treasure. As I sat in that funeral, I listened to Denis’ two sons speak with love, respect and admiration for their father. I then listened to two of his granddaughters talk about him and the positive impact he had on their lives. Then, his four-year-old great grandson got helped onto a chair, stood in front of the microphone and said, ‘I love you papa. I miss you.’ Needless to say, I was, as were most of the people in the room, in tears. The lesson that Denis had instilled in his family, through his actions and attitudes, not, words, was to delete the negative and focus on the positive. I walked away from that funeral uplifted and inspired, and, grateful to have known Denis.
I hope you are inspired as much as me. I hope you are ready to start deleting the junk and then replacing it with gold. Have you been told at any stage of your life that you’re; no good, not intelligent enough, not talented enough, and, not the right person? If so, it’s junk, so, delete it. Yes, I said delete it. You can choose what you hold onto, what you delete and what you think. Delete it, and then replace it with; I am good enough, smart enough, talented enough and the right person for any success. Do you have health issues that you’re told you’ll never overcome, or you believe are too hard to change? If so, that should be sitting in your junk folder, so go now and hit delete. Replace it with the belief and thoughts that; you are in control of your health, you will do what you need to do, and that optimal health is your birthright.
Do you have low self-esteem, resentment towards someone for something they said or did, fear of rejection, doubts about your worthiness, stress, anxiety or any other limited thought, feeling or belief? Well, you need to know that it’s all junk and, if you hoard it on your human hard-drive, it will slow down and disable your human computer. Honestly, the solution is as simple as; deciding it is rubbish, hitting delete and starting to replace those negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs with ones that will empower and uplift you. It’s your choice, so please, for your own sake, choose to delete and replace.
This week’s blog is bittersweet. It was sad to attend a funeral and say goodbye to a very special man, but, it was a blessing to have known him, and to be inspired and touched by the life he lived, and, the people he influenced. As we head into the second month of 2019, it’s important that we don’t take our junk or baggage with us. How do you feel about deleting all the junk thinking and beliefs? When you delete, you create space on your hard-drive. With more space, you will think more clearly, and, you have more room to replace it with stuff that will empower and bless your life. Start deleting today!