There are two kinds of people who travel: Team ‘backpack’: people who know how to put together all their essentials in a simple carry on, and then team drag-your-entire-life-in-seven-traveling-bags across the airport. Lool. Okay, I don’t mean to drag anyone, but personally, I like to travel light, at least as far as I can manage, this girl is not ready to deal with the stress and hassle of unnecessary baggage. Also, I prefer being able to move quickly and unhindered.
The idea of carrying extra baggage also applies to your mental and emotional health. If you’re carrying a lot of emotional baggage it will slow you down and leave you fighting avoidable battles. As we wind down the year, here are a few ways you drop any unneeded baggage behind in 2019.
Fear of Failure
Many of us have a fear of failure that cripples and holds us back. By achieving, I don’t necessarily mean huge victories that you can brag about on social media. It may just be something as simple as the fear of rejection that hinders you from reaching out to someone who may be a great connection. Or the fear of being shut down that stops you from lending your well informed voice to a conversation. As George Addair says “Everything you have ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” Fear of failure will slow you down and stop you from growing.
Fear of Success
It may seem strange but sometimes you may have a fear of doing really well. Sometimes you look at your dreams and you’re overwhelmed. You ask questions like ‘What if I put my business out there and I get so many orders, I can’t fulfill them all?’ ‘What if I write the book and have to go on a book tour and attend speaking engagements combined with my 9-5?’ These may seem like good problems to have and I reckon they are but some are overwhelmed by these risks and work that comes with this, and because of that, choose to play it safe. You could also call it ‘analysis paralysis’. Prepare for these scenarios and when you get to that you’ll cross it. Determine beforehand that you’ll cross it and you will. It’s time to leave your comfort zone and soar.
Bad habits
They say the first step to recovery is diagnosis/acknowledgment. If you’re in denial about these habits, you won’t be able to curb them. So ideally the first step is to take note of these habits, you can write them down. Habits that hold you back from being your best or affect certain areas in your life. And then set boundaries or put things in place to help you curb them.
Unforgiveness
Forgiveness is more for your own peace of mind than the other person. If closure is important to you, by all means seek it. If you need to have a conversation, have it and move on. Although I would advise you not to wait for closure to forgive. Unforgiveness is a burden and in your anger you may not see it but when you let go, over time you will feel lighter. Forgiveness sets you free and gives you back your power. The other person no longer has power over you.
Now your turn. What emotional baggage are you leaving behind in 2019?