“Odds are, you did this morning. Somewhere between the first step on the floor and the last step out the door, you grabbed some luggage. You stepped over to the baggage carousel and loaded up. The carousel is not the one in the airport; it’s the one in the mind. And the bags we grab are not made of leather; they’re made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt. The trunk of discontent. A backpack of anxiety and a hanging bag of grief. Add on a briefcase of perfectionism, an overnight bag of loneliness, and a duffel bag of fear. No wonder we are so tired at the end of the day.”
Max Lucado, in Traveling Light.
I got married the first time when I was 22-years-old. Eleven years later, I was divorced with two young children, and I had “housekeeping” to do. And I’m not talking about my home; I’m talking about my mind.
I could feel all my angst, fear and grief surrounding my divorce. That coupled with the realization that I was far from the same person who married at 22 and that I had light years to go before I would be ready to have another relationship, left me feeling burdened and weighed down by my past.
Letting go of the baggage
As single parents and in stepfamily life, we have to find a way to start moving the emotional baggage out of our heads. After all, we don’t want to let our pasts sabotage relationships with new partners or affect our kids.
As I began to work through and get rid of those mental burdens, I learned that it left lots of room in my mind and my heart that I could fill up with good things. As you seek to let go of the negativity weighing you down, start here:
- Family. Mend relationships as best you can. Creating acceptance with your immediate family is a very large part of having healthy adult relationships and teaching your children how to have them.
- Past relationships. Fear, distrust, guilt, anger, denying forgiveness and many other kinds of emotions keep you from moving forward. Let the past go.
- Negative thoughts in your head. What you think and what the unfiltered voice in your head tells you can create anxiety, frustration, and stress. Focus on the positive aspects of your life to drive out the negative thoughts.
Please, tomorrow morning, do your best not to carry that baggage with you.
It’s been my honor to work with others on how to get rid of their baggage, and I’d be happy to help you lighten your load for yourself, your children, and your future. Contact me today.