How Much Emotional Baggage Do You Carry With You?
Comments(7) The women who come to me for coaching generally have one thing in common. 
They realize that they are packing around old emotional baggage and it is negatively affecting the quality of their lives.
How do you know when you are the owner of emotional baggage? Some possible clues:
- If other people push your buttons… you have the buttons… you have baggage
- If you are angry a lot… you have baggage
- If you cry a lot… you have baggage
- If you feel sorry for yourself…. you have baggage
- If you hold grudges… you have baggage
- If you have resentments… you have baggage
- If you have addictions… you have baggage
- If you feel bad about yourself… you have baggage
- If you have a critical nature… you have baggage
Let’s see… have I left anyone out? lol… the point is… Baggage is a by-product of growing up… we are imperfect humans, being raised by imperfect humans in an imperfect world.
I have certainly owned my share of emotional baggage in my life. My suitcases were crammed with stuff that was passed down from my parents… stuff that I had picked up along the way… it was old, it was negative and it was very heavy…
But… and this is the Big But… I opened all the suitcases… inventoried every item… appraised it’s value… trashed what was junk… fixed what was broken… handed back what didn’t even belong to me… and lightened my load…
That’s my definition of personal work… “Doing an Inventory and Doing the Clean Up.”
Note: Dr. Christiane Northrop said in general that the women who struggle a lot emotionally with PMS and Menopause are the ones with unresolved emotional issues. She says that the hormonal changes that happen at these times in a woman’s life amplify the emotional impact of the issues. The more emotionally clear women are the less they tend to struggle. I agree… based on my own experience and that of the women I support.
I would love you thoughts and feedback.
As always,
Joyce
Let me know if you need some help. I have walked this path myself and walked beside many others as well.
Wow you have been very dedicated to your letting go and have become an expert in the process. I appreciate the inspiration to inventory with the intent to be lighter and be move through life freely. I need to think on this.
Definetly criticical and have buttons for sure! How do you keep from being a button person? Hmmmmmmm…..
Yes as women, we do carry too much emotional baggage around with us that often start at an early age. As I get older gladly am beginning to let this go, celebrate, and love myself warts and all! Much of this is because of your warm loving encouragement Joyce. Thank you for your endless warmth, humour wisdom and support
love Arabella x
I think you’ve pegged me with each and everyone of those…..and i still suffer pms AND going thru peri-menopause….wow I am a bomb just waiting to happen!
I don’t know what has been wrong with me these last couple of days. Most of the time, I am a happy person, but I sort of been moping around the last couple of days and I don’t have the slighest idea why.
I so-o understand what you are saying, and, in my life, generally the reason shows up within days. Some of this is indeed emotional baggage. It is my belief that because of my own emotional baggage, something is happening in and around my world, with my close family, friends and/or loved ones, and, usually it is something that upsets me greatly based on my past, based on my love for them and not wanting this ‘thing’ whatever it happens to be (that will always shows up for me)to be happening. Sometimes it is a deep hurt being inflicted upon a loved one that my inner self already is aware of, but I am protesting, therefore, my behaviour, my acting out, outwardly emulated this,so to speak, in protest of this.
I pray that whatever is upsetting your inner child will be resolved for you quickly and easily, but the reason I am responding to this message is to reassure you that you are not going crazy, you are not a depressed, you are simply reacting to your own intuition. I could be right or wrong – I only know with myself that this is the case.
May you have an abundance of light and love in your day.
I have been contemplating this topic for a couple of days. I have been reviewing my efforts to deal with my emotinal baggage. I realized that I have not been as successful as I had first thought. Instead of throwing it out I just moved alot of it to newer more attractive bags! I don’t carry it, it now is on wheels and easier to pull along with me.
Instead of throwing it out I re-labelled it ( menopause, empty nest syndrome etc)
More recently I must admit I have even picked up others’ baggage and would like to put it back on the carousel but there seems to be crazy glue on the handle.
The analogies may seem funny but the facts are sad and I often feel weighted down.
I have not given up hope and practice daily the choice to start my day,and my life over.
I am grateful for the opportunity to share these thoughts and pray each day for the acceptance, strength and wisdom to finally let go and move on.
Namaste