Why keep anything in your life that doesn't serve a purpose, move you forward, and bring great joy and happiness?
This is a question we ask our clients. The answer may be simple in theory, but the reality is, it's hard. There are different level of parting with your stuff. People can be buried under memories so strong that it's difficult and sometimes downright frightening to explore a different life. And what happens when something you are holding onto is actually holding you back? Maybe Ruby Gettinger can help us.
Ruby Gettinger (pictured above, on The Bonnie Hunt Show), the star of Style TV's reality series "Ruby" has been in and around Los Angeles for a few weeks now (they're been following her for a visit from her hometown Savannah, Georgia). Her show focuses on her journey of extreme weight loss and her candid and somewhat humorous take on being morbidly obese (she used to weigh 700 pounds- check out her amazing video of her hiking in our Runyon Canyon Hollywood Neighborhood). In the time around her visit, the cameras have been cutting away at her readying for a garage sale in Savannah where she discovered some long lost letters in the attic.
"While searching for old stuff to sell at a garage sale, Ruby found a stack of letters that she wrote herself when she was a teenager. Some were from as young as 13 years old and all of them were dark and depressing: “I’m dying inside”; “I’m so sad right now in my life”; “take me to a place where I can be happy.” On a restaurant napkin Ruby wrote, “I’ve had the experience of the deepest darkness” in black sharpie. Ruby remembered being a happy girl and had no recollection of writing herself such disturbing letters. She said, “I just remember happy Ruby.”"
Ruby says she has no remembrance of 13 years of her life… all she can remember is how happy she is. This could be proof that we all have a tendency romanticize the past. The therapist in the show feels Ruby is holding onto the sadness of the past and that is the resulting reason for her food addiction. Remember, Ruby remembers nothing about writing the letters.
Now, we're not advocating she get rid of the letters, it's just an example of how you can certainly let go of bad memories, or things, that hold us back (we also call this eliminating "mental clutter"). Yep, easier said then done. Before Ruby can move forward and deal with her addictions she must deal with the past. This upcoming season should be very revealing as she tackles some counseling and her behaviors.
Do you watch Ruby? What memories (or things) are holding you back in your own life?
Quote courtesy Diets in Review
Read More:
Check out Ruby on the Style Network.
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