Letting Go of the Past: A Lesson in Digital Detox | #MyFridayStory No. 307
We all have those precious items, be they treasured gifts, family heirlooms, or sentimental mementoes. They serve as a reminder of someone or something special, evoking a sense of nostalgia when we come across them. These little things, from birthday cards to concert ticket stubs, are like time capsules, holding memories that we can revisit and reflect on.
Speaking of memories, there’s the fantastic quartet of "feel-good" hormones that make our lives a little brighter: dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. These tiny chemical messengers play a crucial role in shaping our experiences and emotions. For example, oxytocin helps create strong bonds, like those between parents and children, while endorphins come to the rescue when we need to combat stress or discomfort. Serotonin regulates our mood, appetite, and learning abilities, while dopamine gives us that burst of pleasure and aids in learning and memory.
I owe my early encounter with computers to my tech-savvy older brother. Back then, computer memory was always a limiting factor. We had floppy disks, stiffy discs, and compact discs to store data, but it was far from perfect. As technology evolved, so did our ability to store data efficiently on hard disks. It was a game-changer, enabling us to keep all our data in one place, a dream come true for many.
But, with great convenience comes great responsibility. Backing up data became a necessity to safeguard against the threat of losing everything in the event of a virus or hardware malfunction. Thanks to my Brother's persistence in reminding me to back up regularly, I managed to save my data through countless computer crashes.
Fast forward to today, and cloud storage has transformed the way we preserve our digital memories. I was slow to jump on the cloud storage bandwagon, keeping only a fraction of my newer data in the cloud. Now over 60, I've accumulated over 40 years' worth of work, digital photos, and videos, amounting to a few gigabytes of precious data.
My last computer crash story serves as a lesson. The crash came at a critical juncture in my life, as I had just closed my business and started a new job. I relied solely on my laptop, with a minimal portion of my documents stored in the cloud. The pressure of this situation was immense, and I was left mourning the loss of data.
But, in time, I realised something crucial. Clinging to material possessions and digital relics that tie us to the past can become burdensome. The world's transient nature should not weigh us down. I've embarked on a journey to mentally release myself from the attachments that tie me to this world. The liberation and satisfaction I've found in letting go have been the best "feel-good" boost I've ever experienced.
So, don't let the past hold you back. Embrace the freedom that comes with letting go, and you'll find it's the ultimate source of those "feel-good" hormones. Remember, it's okay to declutter your digital and physical spaces once in a while!
Have an awesome weekend and please remember to be generous! ??
As always, thanks for reading ??
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Legal practitioner
1 年I resonate deeply with thanks. Thanks for sharing?
Specialist Design Engineer
1 年Brilliant as always Frans!!! Love it.
Still trying to enjoy an Early Retirement in this Crazy World !!!!!
1 年Frans,,,, beautiful story and so true … however, it is very hard to let things go, physically & spiritually, but we must & so remember “ To work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be generous, ready to share. Safely treasuring up for themselves /ourselves a fine foundation for the future , so that they / we may get a FIRM hold on the REAL LIFE “ 1 Timothy 6:18,19 ??
Quality inspector Chess engineering Western Australia. December 23
1 年Yeah and we have to declutter our spiritual and emotional drives. Declutter ourselves from old doctrine in a way that we don't discard of it completely. As doctrine has it place and purpose. No hard disc or floppy disc can ever give us the spiritual and Kingdom overdrive