Ripping up the past!

When the A150 module website opened in preparation for the start of my course on November 4th,  having buried my head in the sand long enough, I thought that I should at least clear out all my notes from the previous 2 courses I've completed, to make room for more notes! Now, I don't know about you, but my idea of making notes seems to be to copy word for word everything in the text book! Probably not the best way to go about it, especially as I can never read my own writing and end up looking at the original text. I have resolved to try a new method of note taking this time, although what that might be, I've yet to discover.

Consequently I spent a very theraputec morning ripping pages from exercise book after exercise book. what a gloriously liberating experience that was. It felt like I was getting rid of all the stress and anxiety I'd experienced every time I had a TMA to prepare, that's a Tutor Marked Assignment in case you're wondering. I knew that even if I needed to refer to them again I'd probably be better off going back to the text books anyway!

As I ripped and shredded page after page, I got to thinking that, wouldn't it be great if it was as easy as this to get rid of all the things in the past that have caused and may still be causing us stress. No-one goes through life without picking up a lot of baggage along the way. Even if we can physically remove ourselves from a problem, it's not so easy to remove it from our memory. In a previous blog I wrote about 'letting go,. This was more about moving on from emotional pain and loss. But perhaps the same principles apply to other of life's issues. How can it be beneficial to our health and well being to be still carrying the stresses of the past? As I get older I'm trying to see each trial or situation that causes me to be stressed, as an opportunity to learn and grow. Definately a lot easier said than done! sometimes it works, others-well? That's a lesson in itself.

We can't physically rip up the past but we can choose to stop it from stressing us out in the present. Making mistakes and getting into difficult situations is part of the Human Condition. It's what we choose to do about it that matters. So next time something from the past rears its ugly head and threatens your present, why not try mentally ripping it from your mind. Perhaps it might be usefull to unpack it to see if there is a lesson to be learned to help you to avoid making the same mistake again.

I'm certainly going to try! The relief I felt as I put all my old notes in the recycling was fantastic!

 

Flashmob granny