The Truth About Maps

No. 140

"No one is coming to save you. And if we’d like to go where we claim we want to go—to accomplish what we claim are our goals—there is only one way. And that’s to meet our problems with the right action."

(Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle Is the Way)

One Idea

I got a new phone last week. It’s the same phone, but the new battery is helpful, and I like the new camera button. It’s really handy.

My phone backup has been with me for the better part of a decade and includes my settings and several hundred applications. Installing the backup takes a few minutes, and my new phone looks and feels just like my old phone. Easy.

Except this time, I did something different.

I’m installing each application on my phone individually. I go to the app store, hit download, and install the app. This friction makes me stop and think—do I want (or need) this software with me 24/7?

I’m two weeks in and have 71 applications on my phone. I’m not sure what was on my last phone, but I’d guess it was north of 500 (really). Intentionally, Instagram is missing from my phone, as are all other social platforms.

It feels like moving to a new house. You get to spend time being intentional about where to put things, what can go into storage, and what you still need to throw away or donate.

For the most part, we get to decide what and who is in our lives. It’s not always easy and often comes with pain. Usually, those decisions make our lives better.

Note: You don’t need a new phone to do this. Just start over. I did this in my closet last week, too, and it was glorious.

One Truth

Maps are not reality. They are just a representation of reality - subject to a moment in time and the perspective of the map maker.

Except for the laws of nature, everything is just a belief. Just because someone put something in the non-fiction section doesn’t mean it belongs there. This applies to everything - books, media, articles, and mental maps.

Our mental maps paint a picture of what we believe to be true about our lives and the world. They include a narrative of what has happened to us, what is happening, and what can happen. Those beliefs are colored by moments in time and the events and people around us. Some of it is true, some of it isn’t.

As Princess Buttercup said to me recently, “Be Curious.”

Like us, maps are a work in progress. Keep exploring and trying to sort out the fiction from the fact.

Questions:

• What or who is in your life that shouldn’t be anymore?

• What beliefs do you hold so tightly you don’t leave room for you to discover they are fiction?

• If there was one thing you could change or try without risk or pain, what would it be? Pay attention to that answer.

I hope you’re good. If you found this helpful, please share it with a friend.

Take care, Kelly