The Best Thing That Ever Happened

I recently saw a childhood friend who had lost his home in the California wildfires. I asked him how he was doing and I was completely surprised by his answer. He said “Great!” He went on to elaborate about the amount of freedom he felt from losing all of his things. He said that they owned many things that didn’t need but weren’t willing to let go of. He said, and I’m quoting here, “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Handling What You Think about What Happens to You

This prompted me to think about a few things. First, how important it is to maintain an attitude of equanimity about what happens to you. Things that might seem bad, may actually be good and vice versa. Most of our experiences in our lives are determined largely by what we think about them. My friend reminded me how important it is to manage what I think and say about what happens to me.

This week try reframing a negative story into something positive and see if you feel differently about it.

Making Space for Whatever is Next

The second thing this got me thinking about was the freedom of getting rid of stuff. I don’t really want to lose everything I own, but what would it be like if I got rid of half of my stuff? I wonder how much these things weigh on me and how many of them I could truly live without. The new year is a great time to think about what you don’t need anymore. Doing something as simple as cleaning my desk can create space for new ideas. Purging your closet can help you see your assets more clearly. 

This week take five minutes to clear out something you really don’t need anymore. You won’t believe how liberating it is!

We never know what’s next but whether it’s a wildfire, a new job or a visit from a good friend you can be prepared either by creating space or controlling the story you tell yourself.