“You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” Louise Smith
I think this is one of my all time favorite quotes and something I continually remind myself of because it really is so true.
You can’t take advantage of everything great that will come your way, if you are focusing on “junk” that has already come and go.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand it can be challenging to totally remove from your mind certain memories or things that have bothered or upset you in the past.
None of us (especially not me) have made it to this point without our own fair share of “junk”; and “junk” has a way of leaving a lasting impression.
It’s like getting a stain on your favorite shirt … you scrub and scrub and try to remove it, but no matter how long you scrub, you just can’t get it completely out.
Sometimes the things that happen leave such a sour taste in our mouth that it can be difficult (but, not impossible) to stop them from forever polluting our minds.
“But, not impossible” really says it all though.
Believe it or not, we really do get to choose what we focus our minds on.
According to the research and Wikipedia, we have on average 70,000 thoughts a day. The question is what are we choosing to do with these thoughts?
Are we allowing all the “junk” from yesterday to monopolize too many of our 70,000 thoughts? Are we wasting a lot of our thoughts on stuff we really can’t do anything about and “junk” that just upsets us?
Or, are we focusing the majority of those 70,000 thoughts on what we can actually do RIGHT NOW to create the things we want in our life?
Are we taking advantage of our ability to focus our energy and thoughts on the things we can control and positively impact?
This is by no means a suggestion that we should just block out all the “bad” and only focus on the “good”.
I have never really found that approach all that helpful and I do think that the “junk” has to be dealt with in one way or another.
But, the best thing we can do if we really want to move on and not focus on the “junk” from yesterday, is to find a way to scrub clean the “junk” until it no longer feels like a permanent stain in our mind.
We can get ourselves to the point where we have worked through the “junk” and can now see things from a different and improved perspective.
And, once we are successfully able to do that, we really can redirect our attention and focus on the right things.
Easier said than done?
Of course … but it is something we can really try to commit to doing day after day until we know it has worked and we have completely cleaned the “junk” in our mind. There is no way we want to forfeit any of the great things that will come our way because we are wasting our thoughts on the “junk”.
Yesterday’s “junk” is just not worth it.
So, specifically, how do you do it?
- Prioritize what you want over the “junk”. Realize that all the good things that can come your way are way more important than the “junk”.
- Commit Today to work at it. One step at a time; no more allowing the “junk to just linger”. Start working through it Today and do something about it.
- Get excited about all the good that really can come. Your excitement for what you want and what will come to you will provide you with continual motivation to do whatever you need to do to leave the “junk” behind.
- Work to see the “junk” from a better and improved perspective. No matter what the “junk” is or how much it bothered or upset you, if you choose to and really work at it, you can always see it from an improved perspective. What were the lessons you learned? How has what happened made you stronger or better in one way or another?
- Remind yourself every time you catch yourself slipping and focusing on yesterday’s junk. You’ve got to work at it and eventually you will get better and better at directing your attention where it should be.
Hi Sibyl,
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!
Letting go and focusing on the present is not easy. There is so much emotional attachment we have to the past especially when it is something or someone that matters greatly.
The points you have raised to manage yesterday’s junk are excellent. Point 4 stands out most for me. Perception is everything and how we choose to perceive something or some event can empower or cripple us. If we are still holding on to something, it probably means we have not fully learned the lesson we need to learn and move on.
I find that it also helps to do all we can to resolve yesterday’s junk. When we focus on a solution and do everything in our power, we can let go because we have done all we can. After that we can say we have less regrets and move on.
Thank you for sharing this lovely article!
Irving the Vizier
Happy 2012 to you as well Irving the Vizier:) So glad you liked the post. Thanks for always stopping by and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it.
It’s a new year, and focusing on last year’s favorable or unfavorable situations only keeps our growth stagnant or depleting. I like the way someone puts it: ” you’ll crash driving on the highway if you continuously stare at the rear view mirror” It’s also been proven that our predominant thoughts always materialize with time. Sibyl, this is invaluable information you’ve shared- an important reason people fail or succeed in life.
Thanks Giles:) I really think that quote you shared is right on point. Thanks so much for dropping by and thanks for taking the time to comment.
> Are we taking advantage of our ability to focus our energy and thoughts on the things we can control and positively impact?
THAT is a fantastic question.
I like how that simple question quickly challenges us to act on what we control and let the rest go.
Thanks J.D. Always great to hear from you. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Sibyl,
Whenever I found a thought like that I prevented it from coming out of my mouth and even silenced it in my head with an old-fashioned silencing method. I said “Shhhhh!” Aloud. Yes, I did! It worked too! 
I’m so grateful to you for sharing this inspiration! I think one could shush oneself in relation to #5. 
I come over here for inspiration and always find it! I love your list and particularly #3 – getting excited about what you want. It’s easy to do in January, isn’t it!?
I did your complaining fast and it was life changing. I didn’t even get to day 40 before the changes were being felt inside me! I was surprised to find myself monitoring my thoughts. Who knew my thoughts could contain so many complaints!??!
Happy 2012 Sibyl!
Lori
Yeah:) Thanks Lori for the kind words. I am sooooo happy to hear that you took the challenge and felt all the positive benefits. Isn’t it just great? Thanks so much for letting me know. I love, love love, success stories:)
thank you sibyl, its truly a masterpiecse. thank you sooooo much
The decaying principles of man’s social humanity all in the name of profit. For me… it is not about me.
(4) “You” know what?…yeah the ‘junk’ really bothered me to see, hear, and smell. Then sense the pervasive evil left in the cut, stitch, and broken bone rooms.
Being a product of the 60′s, I do know that the pen is mightier than the fist.
It’s not about me…it is about making the world a better place. There is blood ‘staining’ going on in this $Grand Republic$. I for one will not ignore. I don’t buy into doing what you can and then moving on. A life committed to a better world is truely noble…these kind of people actually exist.
Let me ask each and everyone of you what in the hell *good* is it if we rid our selves of personal ‘bad’ junk, only to ignore the ugly gross junk of society that is pileing up? Oh…I guess nothing else matters as long as “You” are safe in your clean, stain-free enclave of self.
(1) “You”
(2) “You”
(3) “You”
(4) “You”
(5) “You”
or
(6) “Us”
You always keep it interesting Rand:) I think we clean up yesterday’s junk so we can focus on the moment that is right in front of us. If we can just manage to do that as much as possible, there is no way life will not unfold in the most amazing ways. Thanks for the comment and for dropping by.
Hi sibyl
I’ll remember your words everyday that’s make me stronger in everything
thank you for the positive feeling I hope this year be better than last year
So glad Mazen:) Thanks so much for dropping by and here’s to a fabulous 2012.