So, last week was interesting, to say the least … I smashed the whole front end of my eight month old vehicle. Luckily, I was fine, no subsequent injuries, not even a bit of soreness… $5300 later, I continue to remain emotionless about the whole thing.

Why?
Seconds after the 30 mph collision, during 5:00 pm traffic on a rain slick highway, my thoughts instantly defaulted to my GOOD fortune …

How?
For some strange reason, I’m hardwired that way as I did this quick inventory of all that went right.
- My kids were not in the car. I had just dropped them off.
- I’m still alive.
- My car was still drivable.
- It stopped raining.
- I didn’t have to be anywhere special.
- I have good insurance.

Within 10 minutes of the accident, my Mom calls, leaves a message, “Just checking to see if you are okay.” That woman is freaky! I know she doesn’t have a police scanner, but she has some sort of cosmic AT&T system. She later told me she felt something had gone wrong.

Within those 10 minutes, a potentially large, business deal for an infomercial called in, as if to compensate for that not-so-good accident that just happened.

My grandmother, Mama Mia, used to shrug her shoulders and say, “It could’ve been worse.” That seemed to be her answer for all bad news. And she was right!

Have you ever:
Had a prized possession vanish?
Broke your favorite crystal wine glass, necklace or a cell phone?
Lost a bet?
Ruined your favorite art piece?
Tore or stained your shirt?
Or something unfortunate happen to one of a variety of things that is valuable to you?

Did you subsequently:
Act out your anger?
Cry?
Displace your anguish onto something or someone else?
Feel controlled by these emotions for hours, days, months, years?

It’s the worst way to feel – powerless. You are being totally controlled by “YOUR STUFF.” When you really think about it, it’s crazy!
All your “things” are only as important to you as the value you place on them.
You’ve heard the saying, “One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.”
Well, everything on this planet that deeply means something to you is only due to the passion you have for that possession. That’s it!

It’s a tough issue to resolve, yet one needs to deeply consider what value the “item” represents. For instance:
- “I worked hard for that!”
- “It’s been in the family for years and years!”
- “It meant SO much to me!”
- “That’s all I have!”
- “It’s one of a kind!”

Yet when you truly think about the value you have assigned it, you may be creating a disproportionate amount of stress than the item is worth.

My sister has our father’s ashes from his cremation. She wondered why I am totally fine with not keeping any. I explained, it’s because Dad lives largely within my thoughts. I don’t need reminders or symbols.

Professional athletes lose a meaningful game, and then need to forget about it and look to winning the next one to define who they are. WHO they are must be larger than the game.

Solution:
Reclaim the value you place on your material possessions and address the value of “who you are” whether you have “things” or not. Make it bigger than anyTHING you could ever have, own, inherit or possess. In the end, it’s all about how your value is expressed from the inside out.

Be careful not to become emotionally attached to your stuff!

Please comment and share your feelings, someone out there needs the pump up