What to Set Aside

Weary from another day of travels, you stop and make camp, disappointed by the short distance you have covered. Your back aches, your feet throb. In a snap decision, you upend your rucksack.

When you began your quest, you packed light, destination firmly in mind – Food, blanket, canteen, etc. But when did this book entitled Basket Weaving: A History materialize in your inventory? And how many dinner bowls do you really need?



Next, take stock of your mental load. Does it seem light to you now?

What checklists, responsibilities, and relationships are weighing upon you? Catalogue them one by one. Ask yourself – which of these are ESSENTIAL to my purpose? Which ones will be necessary in reaching my ultimate destination or goal?

Sometimes in our lives, we have room to pick up something extra. It can be fun, enchanting, and rewarding to do so. It is easy to hold onto it for a time. Then the path narrows, becoming steeper as the weather takes a foul turn. We feel burdened by our load.


It is ok to set things aside.


Discern what is essential to retain – those tasks that are tied to the essence of your quest, directly contributing to its success or failure. Hold tightly to these, but relax your grip on the unnecessary. Leave them scattered behind you like the breadcrumbs of a side quest you do not have time for this afternoon.

You may come back to them one day. Or someone else may pick them up. Or nature may claim them for her own. There is a beauty even in this.

Take a moment to stop and assess your burden. Sometimes leaving something behind is the best way to move forward.

Further Up, Further In

-The GSB Team