In these days of information overload, don't you often wish you had a reset button? With all the noise we hear online, don't you wish there was a delete button you could use to get rid of the negative stuff, the FOMO, the fear . . . off your mind?
Lately, I've had my plate full and couldn't help wishing I had a reset button that could magically clear all the unnecessary stuff and keep only what mattered. The overwhelm spread to everything. I started thinking of all the things I had planned and hadn't gotten around to doing.
How about using our reset button?
I am suggesting something like the reset/delete button we have on our computers that lets us simply trash what we don't need/want.
Like me, I am sure you use the delete button a number of times throughout the day-in your email, in your messaging, in your notes, in your writing when you make typos-or when you're looking at files you don't need. Overfull trash? Delete.
Can you imagine not having that delete button in your life? Not only will our devices become a mess-we'll run out of space in our mailboxes; our messages-or at least my messages will be a mess with all the typos. Our files will be confusing thanks to all the unwanted data mixed with the important ones. Not being able to keep our devices organized will play havoc with our systems. And lives.
Our minds have often been compared to supercomputers. Experts estimate that our minds think roughly between 60,000 - 80,000 thoughts a day. So that's like 3000 thoughts per hour. And if we believe that, these thoughts are pretty much like the data on a computer. Because not all thoughts are worth keeping.
For example, fearful thoughts are useless data.
Encouraging, positive thoughts are important data you must keep. That goes for what you learn during the course of the day.
If we did not have a reset or a delete button in the head, all those fabulous ideas and thoughts we have will be cluttered by the useless ones, preventing us from benefiting from the good stuff. We become so busy sorting through the negative stuff that we become exhausted by the time we reach the positive stuff in our minds.
So, use that reset/delete button in your mind.
Visualize a delete button in your mind. And use it every time a useless thought tries to come in. Have a reset policy for yourself.
Negative thoughts? Delete.
Lacking self-confidence? Delete
Think you are not enough? Delete.
Scared about something? Reset.
Confused by ifs and buts? Reset
Whiny and sulky? Reset
Mooning over an unhappy relationship? Reset
And so on!
Each time you have a thought that will not have a positive impact, just delete it instantly. It is a waste of time nurturing those thoughts and allowing them to mess with your mind.
Thoughts are like seeds. When you nurture them, they grow. So, if you dwell on a negative thought, you allow it to mushroom in the head. Just like you use the delete button on your devices, delete that negative thought before it starts to take root in your head.
When you make the delete button your friend, you make space for happiness and the things that truly matter in your life. When you let go of what you don't need, you make space for your dreams, your goals. Happy conversations. Great relationships.
You will enjoy focusing on doing rather than complaining about what you don't have.
If someone is annoying you just get rid of the thought and go back to work. When you are tempted to complain, delete the thought and focus on solutions.
You are probably wondering: what if the delete button is stuck and won't work?
Sometimes, no matter how many times you hit that delete button, the negative stuff just won't go away. When that happens, it's time to dig deeper.
Note down the following:
- What's bothering you?
- Why is it bothering you?
- How can you solve this?
Once you identify this, take action on resolving the problem rather than focusing on the negative thoughts.
We all know that our mind is a powerful thing. Our feelings and actions are affected by how we manage our thoughts. And eventually, this has a bearing on our happiness.
Now do this:Is there a negative or useless thought in your mind today?
Can you use the delete or reset button to think more positively?
♥
Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections, meditations and humor.
