We all come with baggage. I think of it as life experience. It factors into decisions you make and it has shaped you into the person you are today.
Is baggage a bad thing?
Typically, I get the impression that it is. Baggage seems to weigh people down. It’s the explanation as to why they are dissatisfied or unhappy. “She carries a lot of baggage,” seems to be the unsurprising explanation used in many movies or life circumstances.
Just the word baggage seems to indicate life’s disappointments. Unfair situations, hard times and regrets.
But what if, instead of letting your baggage weigh you down, you looked at it in a different way.
You can see your baggage as big, heavy disappointment that you constantly lug around. Or you can see it as I see mine. I believe my baggage has a striped print – and it is monogrammed, of course! (After all, I’m from the South, y’all!)
My baggage is important to me! It is all my life experience and lessons learned combined to help me make intelligent and intentional decisions. Without baggage we would have nothing to base our goals and aspirations on.
Regrets
It was interesting, I was listening to a podcast the other day and the woman was saying that regrets were important to have. She didn’t like to read mantras about “live with no regrets”, because to her, regrets shaped decisions. If she didn’t consider regrets in her past, then she was not able to make improvements. She didn’t get caught up in then or let them drag her down, but she also didn’t pretend she didn’t have any.
I thought that was interesting. Insightful, really.
And to me that’s baggage. Useful past situations that I intentionally and purposefully use to shape my future decisions.
They don’t depress me. They don’t get me down. To quote from a movie, “I learn from them and then move on.”
High Elevations
Discussing baggage brings to mind a certain trip that I enjoyed not too long ago. I was in Colorado with my family and we were staying at a picturesque and historic hotel. This hotel was truly retro in that the elevator was a small cage with a folding door.
A valet was on hand to carry our bags, and he was a master of his trade – he carried multiple bags and suitcases and made them look light! As we went up to our room using the elevator, he passed us, headed to the stairs. Up on the second floor, we made our way to our room, feeling rather winded from the walk. As we approached the room, we found the valet was already there. Not only had he brought most of our bags, taken the stairs, and beat us to our room, but he wasn’t even breathing heavily! It was astounding!
Now true, we live at sea level and the elevation in Colorado must be a mile high. It is no surprise that we were winded (who knew high altitudes make it harder to breathe?!). But that memory serves as a reminder to me. I can huff and puff and struggle through life, like when I first encounter high altitudes. Or I can be like that valet and do more and go farther, all while being outgoing and helping others.
What about your baggage?
What you do with your life is really up to you. You can make the most of your opportunities and make an outstanding effort or you can drag along with your baggage in tow.
Think of it this way, would you rather struggle to scrape by in life, or would you rather live enthusiastically and intentionally?
We all have baggage and it’s up to you to choose whether you want to struggle to lug it around or appreciate it and add a monogram!
I think I’ll choose the striped, monogrammed baggage. What about you?!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. You know I’m always eager to hear from you! Send me an email at hope@theamericanlady.com. And if you enjoyed this post, let me point this one out to you – I think you’ll like it too! https://www.theamericanlady.com/2017/07/19/what-you-remember/