What's in your backpack? - Part 2

Disclaimer: Some of today’s thoughts grew out of watching the movie, Up In The Air.

What’s in Your Backpack? … It really is an interesting question. The backpack is a symbol of the baggage that you carry around and so the question centers around packing your backpack … remembering that everything and everyone that you decided to pack adds to its weight. The weight will cause the shoulder straps to cut into your shoulders (i.e. adding pain and discomfort), cause some back pain (pulls you backwards and not forward) and slow you down in what you are able to accomplish. It is a rather serious question.

So … what have you chosen to pack into your backpack?

Step #1 - Every picture, every nick-knack, collectable, book, piece of furniture, etc. … literally, everything that “clutters” your life at some point simply makes your life more complicated and heavy laden. Do you have a good picture of what is in your backpack now?

Step #2 – Now imagine that your backpack is under the threat of catching on fire. Quickly … what are the first five items that you would extract from your backpack? Those are actually the only items that really matter … everything else can be gotten rid of or sold in a garage sale. Your backpack is much lighter isn’t it? Life is less complicated? Do you have sense that you are freer?

Step #3 – Now think about the people that you would add to your backpack. Remember that for every person you add they bring their own agenda, demands and expectations … and every time a person is added the drag on your life becomes heavier and more cumbersome. The question that needs to be asked here is, which one of the people in your backpack will be there in the case of a dire, life threatening emergency? Those are the keepers, everyone else are nice for the ride – the present time – but at some point in the future will only disappoint you in some significant way.

So, what is in your backpack? What/who have you chosen to keep? What/who have you chosen to discard? A friend literally lives her life under the 3-month rule – if we haven’t used it or heard from them within the last 3-months then do we really want it cluttering up our life? If the 3-month rule is too harsh then try a 6-month or an 8-month rule simply to start getting use to managing the stuff and people in your life. Just remember that whatever you decide to hang on to will simply weigh you down … it is your choice!

Quote for today: People who matter are most aware that everyone else does too. Malcolm S. Forbes