Are you suffering from data overload?

It’s that time of the year again. Spring Cleaning! Not just of the windows, curtains and furniture, but also of your inner you. Every day we store more and more data in our brains and in our hearts. Sometimes we get so busy that we don’t allow ourselves the time to organize the many memories, information, emotions and feelings that we just keep on stuffing into our hearts and minds.

Just like your house requires regular cleaning or else you will live in an array of dust, spiderwebs and chaos, your inner self also requires a thorough cleaning to ensure that you stay mentally healthy and fit.

If not, you might end up feeling totally stressed, overwhelmed and fed up with your life and life in general. Before long, you can only see the negative side of life and all the bottled-up emotions start to have a negative effect on your physical wellbeing as well.

Did you know that Doctors, and the statistics of medical societies, have determined that 60 – 90% of all physical illnesses are attributable to emotional causes? Emotions, such as anger, swell the blood vessels so that there is an abnormal flow of blood to the head. The skull is a fixed structure that cannot expand, and an abnormal flow of blood can easily result in severe headaches.

A doctor gave the following illustration to prove that our emotions can cause ulcers and other diseases because the blood supply has been obstructed. When someone has a fit of rage, the muscle contracts and prevents the flow of blood to the heart, stomach, liver, intestines, lungs, gall bladder, etc. It is thus clear that constant bitterness, anger and vindictiveness can cause much damage to these organs. In his book, None of these Diseases Dr S. I. Mc Millan, a Christian physician, mentions more than fifty illnesses that can be caused by emotional problems.

Make sure you schedule some alone time in your busy schedule. If possible, get out of the city and go to a place where it’s beautiful and quiet. At first, just sit down and drink in your surroundings. Make use of all your senses. What do you hear? What do you see? What do you smell?

Concentrate on your breathing. Take deep breaths. Quiet your mind. Just relax and keep your focus on your surroundings.

After a while, take your notebook and pen. (Not your laptop or iPad, because chances are something is going to distract your when you open any of your electronic devices.) Write down all the things that have been bothering you lately. All your worries. All the big and little troubles that have been on your mind.

When you are done, read the list and divide it into two categories. Things that you can do something about and things beyond your control. Put the first list away for later, when you are back home. Read the second list, all the things beyond your control, one last time. You know it doesn’t help to waste time worrying about things beyond your control. Pray and ask the Lord to take control of this list and to clear your mind of worrying about it. Then throw that list away. While throwing it away say out loud, “I am not going to waste my time to worry about things I cannot change. I am going to focus on the things I can change.”

After this exercise, sit down and relax again. Concentrate on what your can see, hear, feel and smell. Keep your focus on the beauty around you.
When you are completely calm, make another list. This time of all your past mistakes, bad memories, people you are angry with and even the things that makes you angry at yourself. What you now have in front of you, are old baggage. All these things are taking up a lot of unnecessary storage space in your brain and heart. You must get rid of it. It’s hampering your progress, stealing your happiness and your peace of mind.

Forgive yourself for your past mistakes. It happened. It’s over. It’s time to move on. Forgive those that you are angry with as well. The sad truth is, as long as you have a grudge against someone, you give that person a hold over you, but if you forgive and forget, you break the spell your enemy has over you. You will be free again to live your life, without his/her shadow always following you.

Tear up the list that you have made. Tell yourself “I am getting rid of this old baggage. I don’t want it in my life anymore. I don’t need it. I am free!”

Now start a new list on a new page of all the things, persons, situation and all the things about yourself that you are grateful for. That you love. That you like. That makes you smile. Write down everything from your favourite song to the fact that you think your little toes are cute.
Read this list again and rejoice in all the good things you have in your life. Finish your first day of spring cleaning by treating yourself with something good to eat.

Remember to repeat the above process every time you feel like life is getting a bit too much to handle.