By Tanya Fleeting
"Bag Lady you gone hurt you're back draggin' all them bags like that!"- Erykah Badu
Many of us walk around carrying excess baggage! The unresolved emotional hurts and scars we have accumulated throughout our life's journey. We fill our emotional baggage with our psychological pain! We also take the pain of our negative experiences broken and or dysfunctional relationships and internalize them.
Very often these feelings are so deeply embedded in our unconscious mind, we are not even aware that they exist. However they do existence and can cause serious harm to our mental, emotional and physical well being. As well as delaying the manifestation of authentic self!
Our emotional baggage is similar to the baggage we see going around and around on the luggage claim belt in the airport. Imagine if no one took their bags off the belt and every time a new plane landed more bags were added. Eventually the belt would become congested and probably stop working due to the heavy stain and stresses of all the extra bags. Our emotional baggage works in quite a similar fashion. If we carry around bags that we have had packed for years... and keep adding more and more bags our bodies and minds became weighed down and in a since stop working.
There are many ""by products" of emotional baggage... addictions, overeating, stress, over spending and several other detrimental side effects. These side effects may include inviting similar hurtful experiences, and or new ones into our lives. This occurs because the original hurt that has not been resolved gives way to negative emotion and fear( remember fear is "False Evidence Appearing Real"). These negative emotions and fears appear justified and correct in our minds and begin to affect our self image and behavior and therefore All of our relationships, not just the romantic ones. You may have even found someone with matching luggage and together create a steady stream of negative energy and emotion.
What's stuffed inside your bags?
Do you have a bag that contains insecurity and doubt? You probably started packing it in early childhood. Maybe your parents put the first few items in by not loving you the way you deserved or needed to be loved. This is not a condemnation on their parenting, remember someone started packing their bags too... and we can't teach what we have not yet learned!
Maybe you have a special occasion bag filled with disappointed and resentment. You take out this bag whenever you need to remind yourself that success and fulfillment are not possibilities for you. This bag is usually worn when making career of major life decision. "I am not smart enough to pursue a college education," "I could never own my own business" sound familiar? If so you've got some unpacking to do!
Are you walking around with a bag filled with blame and the refusal to take responsibility for your current circumstances, cultivating a "poor me" victim's mentality?
Do you still carry that bag that matches with everything? Although the bag itself is pretty worn out you still carry it. This bag holds hurts, betrayals, and the spirit of unforgiveness. You take this bag everywhere you go. You've taken it with you into every relationship you've ever had and its contents keeps growing and growing because you keep packing more stuff inside.
If you have left the painful or abusive relationship, grown up and moved away from the dysfunctional household or recovered from that addiction don't keep the bags you packed while you were in those situations... if you have put those things out... don't keep the bags!
If any of this is resonating with you then it must be time for you to start unpacking!
The process of unpacking can only begin when you RELEASE!
Realize only you hold the power to change your destiny!
Eliminate negative people from your life.
Let it go!! And start thinking about your future not your past.
Eradicate negative thoughts.
Always forgive, it provides a pathway to your healing.
Stop reliving past hurts and disappointments.
Empty out those bags and start living baggage free!
In order to RELEASE you must be willing to dedicate your time, energy and attention toward change! It will not be a simple or quick process, it may even be painful and the services or a professional therapist may be needed to help you process the emotions you will experience.; but take a moment to imagine how exhilarating it will feel to connect with your authentic self and live your life without the constant barrage of negative thoughts and feeling weighing you down.
Make the choice to begin to RELEASE Your Emotional Baggage today!
About the Author:
I hold a B.A. in sociology and will complete my Masters in 2009. Currently I am the Education Coordinator for a "Welfare to Work" program, that deals primarily with women. I have a "heart" for Women and a desire to see them Empowered and in touch with their Authentic self! Please view my web site:
Article Source: Release Your Emotional Baggage!
