shine on e1435380832934
shine on e1435380832934
Lifestyle

Whatever Your Baggage Is, You Have The Power To Release It

I’m talking about the baggage you can’t see but you can definitely feel. Whatever your baggage is, you have the power to release it!

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?” Isaiah 43:18

Release Those Bags!  Spring Forward To The Life You Deserve! - Lioness MagazineWhat “bags” are you carrying around with you today?  I’m not talking about your purse or your laptop bag, I’m talking about the baggage you can’t see but you can definitely feel: feelings of resentment, hurt, guilt or anger.  Maybe your baggage is a failed marriage/relationship or a severed friendship. Whatever your baggage is, you have the power to release it!

As women, we often internalize any issues we may be dealing with, especially when friends and family members say to us “Girl, just get over it!” And after years and years of “getting over it” we begin to experience the physical effects of carrying too many “bags.” Suddenly we find ourselves eating too much, struggling with addiction or dealing with physical ailments such as headaches and backaches.

Maybe your “bag” is the hurt of being betrayed during a marriage/ relationship. Instead of carrying that bag around for another day, write a letter to your ex-spouse/ partner and let him know just how badly he hurt you. Then, instead of sending it to them, rip it into pieces and “flush” it!

Or maybe your bag the feeling of resentment toward a friend or family member.  We all have been used and taken advantage of from time to time, but we are always in control of how we allow others to make us feel. If you are feeling resentful, identify steps you can take toward reclaiming your time and energy!

Even if your bag is self-inflicted (for example, you were the offender in a failed relationship,) it is never too late to apologize. You may not be able to speak to the person face to face, but you can certainly send a message to them to let them know how sorry you are for hurting them.

No matter what bags you’re carrying, make the decision today to release it and move on! And remember, it is okay to seek professional help if you just can’t seem to move past the hurt on your own. Going to therapy does not mean you are weak.

Remember, your “baggage” didn’t appear overnight, so it will surely take some time to work through whatever issues you may be dealing with. But the sooner we release our bags, the sooner we can “spring forward” to the life God has planned for us!

crystalCrystal Senter-Brown is a mother, wife, writer, adjunct professor and professional procrastinator. She has written 5 books, one of which was recently turned into a full-length film (“The Rhythm in Blue“).

 

Photo courtesy of Dionysius Burton [FLICKR]

Article originally appeared in March 2012 Lioness

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