Where does all the unwanted baggage come from?
It accumulates from old mindsets and beliefs towards experiences in life. If not dealt with, they can turn into resentment, hurt, non-forgiveness, bitterness, disappointment and anger etc. This way of thinking can create patterns and blocks that keep one stuck, and from being all they can be.
The experiences may have seemed unpleasant, in fact, some downright awful. How we take them in and interpret them can become gifts or gear.
Think of it like this; you’re at the airport, your luggage gets x-rayed to make sure it’s safe to board the plane and if the security people aren’t sure, or something seems suspicious, they have to examine it to make sure it’s harmless.
The problem is most of our emotional baggage gets loaded instead of explored first.
Just think, if you would have sent a few of your emotional bags back for observation you wouldn’t have a heavy load to carry.
Carrying this unwanted baggage around can make a person tired physically and emotionally. Often you hear people say how tired or stressed they are. Guess what? Some of their baggage needs to be re-examined.
Imagine if we all started off with one small suitcase and then we accumulated more unpleasant experiences. Before long the suitcase would become full and we would have to get another one. Next thing you know, you would have baggage galore, and a whole lot more.
Why do we hold onto all this baggage?
We hold onto it because, believe it or not, it has become comfortable. Yes, comfortable.
Our thinking, behaviours and patterns have become security. We didn’t stop to consider the luggage before loading it aboard. We just threw it in without examining it.
We might have become fearful of change, or losing ground, or not being accepted or unlovable, or anything else that we worry if we change we might lose. If the suitcase gets full we get another one. We load that one up as well and before long, voila, excess baggage weighing you down.
It’s time to lessen the load and pick up a carry-on.
The way we interpret experiences, question our beliefs towards our thoughts, as well as the lessons learned is what determines whether it gets stuffed into a suitcase or stored away as gifts in a carry-on.
You don’t have to worry about which suitcase to open first because whatever beliefs are creating the stress, conflict, anxiety, anger, worry and suffering etc. in your life are already opened for you to examine.
Do you really want to keep putting them back into the same old suitcases or do you want to explore them and take a carry-on filled with gifts instead?
The best gift you can give to yourself and others is to be willing to put the baggage down or at least examine it further before loading anymore.
Just think, when you arrive at a destination you can share the gifts rather than all the baggage. Which do you think people would love more?
Remember , when you Shine, the world shines brighter because of you!
Kimberley Cohen is the Founder, Facilitator and Personal Insight Coach of The Insight Technique. She is certified in Body Mind Counselling, Process Oriented Body Work and Spiritual Psychotherapy. She founded the Insight Technique - Your Insight to genuine Happiness, Purpose and Prosperity to assist herself and others in uncovering and discovering their brilliance. To question and understand your thinking so you can transform what blocks and limits you from living the life you desire and deserve. Or "living your dreams".