You don’t always see it or hear it and you certainly never talk about it, but it’s always there.
It lingers inside you like a disease, plotting to control your world.
Baggage.
It’s a heavy word that threatens to alter your perception.
Your baggage makes it hard for you to move forward in life, rattling your relationships and self-confidence.
The ghosts of your past haunt you through every decision, reminding you of sorrow, heartbreak and purposely-faded memories.
Somewhere down the line of reservation and formality, we were taught to condemn baggage.
People are judgmental, and no one wants to be associated with someone carrying heavy secrets, regrets or mistakes. The weight will only bring you down.
But the truth is, we’re all human. Every one of us has a tale or two we would prefer be locked up in the shadowy crevices of the unspoken truth. You’re not living life unless you’re learning, right?
More intelligence and wisdom can be found through a broken path rather than a flawless journey.
Here’s why:
People will judge no matter what.
The world is a mash-up between the empathetic, close-minded, kind and ignorant.
While not everyone will brand you for your baggage, know that some will.
People fear what they don’t understand. If something has occurred in your life which certain people shy away from, understand that those are the people not meant to lift you up when you’re down.
The people who truly care for you will admire every battle you’ve fought.
Those who don’t simply cannot understand the experience or function by subsisting on negativity.
Baggage is part of your identity.
You’re born as an empty canvas. It’s how you choose to live your life that becomes the pigments of paint color, which bring your picture to life.
Truly experiencing and embracing your life — including all the baggage that comes with living — means your canvas is splashed with tantalizing color.
Some men, for instance, may feel like dating a woman who has a child is too much “baggage.” But in the end, when you look back at all the accomplishments, right and wrong turns, you’ll be proud of your masterpiece.
The blunders and hardships in life are the blueprints to your identity; they make you who you are.
Living the truth is always better than living a lie.
Superficial insincerity is smeared throughout our day-to-day lives.
How exhausting is it to live a life where you’re not true to who you are? It’s the recipe for unhappiness.
No matter what direction your life has taken you down, whether it be a golden lane or a rickety alleyway, always be true to who you are.
You’ll always get the best results when you’re not trying to hide the true intentions of your heart.
It exudes confidence. Own it.
Like a frenzy of sharks, the world tends to rip apart the weak.
What some deem as “baggage” might mostly entail wisdom. You’re smarter than you were before you enduring a shattered relationship, a traumatizing family experience or self-struggle.
You’ve made it out alive, and you should be proud of how much stronger you are. So, own it. The world is kinder to those who flaunt their strengths tastefully.
Don’t apologize for what’s not in your control.
Finally, understand that things happen. While you may have control issues with some things, you won't with others. You can’t control things like where you were born or other people’s actions.
All you can do is work on building up what you can control. And, be sure to occasionally take the Doctor’s advice along the way:
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." — Dr. Seuss
