WIFI

I do believe the past has a purpose.  Its purpose is to remind us of where we were rather than where we are at this very moment. I write journal entries most every day.  I have a gratitude journal for all the things I am thankful for in my life, and I have my other journal for the things I experience, work with, and work through daily.  I see journaling as taking notes on my life. 

At one point, I used to keep all of my journals and occasionally go back and read them.  In some instances, it was for validation on some area of personal growth. However, I started seeing that going back to read past experiences often triggered some less than favorable memories that were no fun the first time and certainly no fun to relive.  That is when I discovered the concept of WIFI – Write It Forget It.

Another name for WIFI is burn journaling.  The concept is the same.  With burn journaling, you write it down then delete it.  I have found that deleting everything I journal on the last day of the month sets me up for a new beginning for the next month.  The reality is that the experience remains in our brain, but if we write it and delete it, it is somewhat of a ceremonial process that it is time to move on from the past and work on the present.

One of the first quotes I had published was, “When your past controls your present, what does that say about your future.” You can call it WIFI, burn journaling, or whatever term or phrase makes you happy.  Just get whatever it is out of you and move on.