Gather up all of those urgent requests, outrageous demands, and toxic messages you've been storing in your beautiful mind and deliver them back to their rightful owners. Ready? Get out a big suitcase and open it up. On slips of paper write down any mind-numbing messages you've been handed. You know exactly what it is. Squeeze them into the suitcase and close it, firmly securing the latches. Now comes the fun part. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, close your eyes and relax. Using your imagination, walk with your suitcase to the home of the rightful owner. Pay attention to how you feel carrying this suitcase. Notice how heavy it is, how it hinders your body movement, how you have to negotiate the streets and sidewalks with care to accommodate this piece of luggage. When it is time, walk up to the person who handed you this unwanted gift, finding the perfect words to express what you are returning and why. This one works wonders for me: I've brought back your message that I don't deserve to be happy. I don't need it anymore. I think it belongs to you. Visualize them taking the baggage and hear them saying something like this: Thank you. I know what to do with this. As you walk away, focus your attention on how you feel without this bit of extra weight in your arms. Skip, run down the sidewalk, turn a cartwheel. Let all of the bullshit fall away. When you're tempted to pick up another suitcase, check the luggage tag.
I was reading this and I had to chuckle at the crazy thoughts that raced through my mind. Would a suitcase hold it all or would I need a trunk? I have carried so much baggage around that I sometimes wonder if that is not a contributing factor to my backaches. I think that people sometimes cause their own illnesses. Disease could be an infectous illness or perhaps it is actually Dis~ease. All the baggage that we carry around with us causes us to be not at ease with our lives. This in turn causes stress, depression and many other uncomfortable feelings which, if left untended could take on the form of a physical illness. When we are at ease in our life and not carrying the weight of the world we become happy which in turn heals the dis~ease in our lives.
I think that it is time for me to actually do this little exercise and give back to those who have so readily given to me. Let them carry this heavy load around for awhile. It is time for me to heal mind, body and soul. It is time for me to take stock of what I will allow and what I will not allow myself to carry around. What if I took some garden stones and a large gunny sack and a note pad and made a list of all the things that hurt me or hold me back, then for every item on that list I dropped a stone into the bag. Would I even be able to lift it off the ground, let alone carry it around all day? It is time to heal and let go of the past and take only myself into the next chapter of my life. I have the first half away so I am going to be selfish and keep the second half for me.
I will be sure to check the baggage tickets from here on out!!!!!!
Posted at 12:28 AM
