Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Keep It Light

Baggage.

It's the one of the first things we grab for when we plan a trip or when we arrive at our destination, whether at an airport (where we're glad we didn't lose it!), or at a hotel or overnight stay, where we'll have all the essentials we need to make ourselves most comfortable and ready for whatever we have planned.

This baggage is useful, necessary, to help us feel prepared and make our experience pleasant.

But, of course, this baggage is only for temporary use.

If we used it for every day, we would begin to find it cumbersome, burdensome, a nuisance. We would get tired of carrying it around. We would begin to get agitated, annoyed, and cranky. And we would wonder why it feels so heavy.

We would be tempted to open the baggage to be sure there were only essentials contained. And, of course, we'd be surprised with what we found:

Old arguments
Dirty Laundry
Cancelled appointments we never rescheduled
A broken dryer needing repair
Defeating memories from years gone by
A nagging sense of something undone
A lack of closure from an old relationship
Second guessing from decisions we made

No wonder it's heavy. And we wonder why our head hurts, our back aches, and our joints are tired. We desperately need relief from this burdensome baggage we're carrying around.

But what do you do with it? Well, it certainly shouldn't be ignored. But you can't keep carrying it around with you either. It's not necessary or healthy.

There are some steps you can take to lighten your load.

1) Write it down. Yep. If you record the issue that you are dealing with, airing all emotions, details, and grievances, you will find the load getting lighter just from venting. And often, in the process, you will gain clarity and even resolution to the issue that you hadn't thought of before. That is truly a welcome and needed benefit we could all use a little more of.

2) Center yourself. Use verbal or mental prayer/meditation to unload. This is also an essential step toward clarity and resolution. You'd be amazed as to what guidance you will receive and what your intuition can give you if you listen for it.

3) Take the next step. Yes, after writing it down and centering yourself and listening for what you can do to solve your problem, make a decision to do something about it! Don't put it off or procrastinate. That's how it became baggage in the first place. The step doesn't have to be big, but it needs to be a step nonetheless. You'd be surprised as to how good you'll feel once you've taken it.

4) Let it go. There are some issues that seem to cling to us no matter what steps we take. Or especially when we don't see a resolution to the problem. Sometimes that will happen. If there's nothing you can do, release it. Let it go. The Creator of the Universe has ways of doing things on our behalf we cannot do for ourselves. And sometimes when we do let go, a resolution finds its way into our path, especially in places where we least expect them. Life is often full of happy surprises!

When you've taken the time to do what is necessary to lighten your load, you will find the mercy that is new every morning and have a sense of purpose and peace for each new day. And that is certainly something to celebrate!

So, the next time you grab for some essential baggage along the way, whether just for an overnighter or a longer life sojourn, remember to keep it light.

© 2011 by Dawn Herring

12 comments:

Roia said...

One of my favorite lines in the musical "Rent" is an interaction between a guy and a girl who are trying to get together, and the musical interplay goes this way": the guys sings, "I've been trying, I'm not lying. No one's perfect, I've got baggage!" to which the woman replies, "Life's too short, babe, time's flying. I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine!"

Sigh, we sure carry a lot of it, don't we? I've spend years (and years) journaling about mine. Thanks for the reminder, Dawn!

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

absolutely fabulous advice! I have to remind myself of this quite frequently.
Thanks for the great suggestions about alleviating our "baggage!"

Rachel | pen-to-paper said...

Thanks for your blog! It find takes conscious effort for me not be an emotional-pack-rat! your blog is a nice reminder to do something about it!

Dawn Herring said...

Roia,
We can all relate to one another's baggage, can't we? Perhaps we can encourage each other to keep it light! :)

Caren,
So glad this resonated with you! I have to remind myself every day as I take out my journal.

Rachel,
It's very easy to pack those emotions, isn't it? It feels great when we unload!

Thanks,ladies, for your comments and feedback. Here's to keeping it light!
Be refreshed,
Dawn

Ty Unglebower said...

If only I could live as light as I tend to travel. =)

Dawn Herring said...

Roia,
I'm sure folks have similar 'styles' of baggage of one sort or another. Thanks for sharing your pov!

Caren,
We can all use frequent reminders to unload; I need one every time I write in my journal!

Rachel,
Yes, it's easy to let things go; but the effort is never wasted!

Thanks, ladies, for your comments and pov! And here's to keeping it light!

Be refreshed,
Dawn

Dawn Herring said...

Ty,
Love the point of view! Especially for those of us who have a tendency to pack too much! :)
We can take one day at a time, right TY?
Be refreshed,
Dawn

Anonymous said...

thanks for this Dawn...it couldn't have come at a better time!

carolinaheartstrings said...

Oh I love this. Just what I needed to read today. You always have a good perspective.

Dawn Herring said...

Lynn,
So glad it was timely for you!

CarolinaHeartStrings,
Thanks so much for your kind words. A fresh perspective is sometimes all we need. :)

Be refreshed,
Dawn

Lynette said...

Excellent, thoughtful post, Dawn. I love the baggage analogy, and the suggestions are spot on.

Dawn Herring said...

Lynette,
So glad the post resonated with you; glad you enjoyed it. It something we can all relate to. ;)

Be refreshed,
Dawn

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Three Steps Toward Accountability...to Yourself (as published in SFC Newsletter, Dec 08 edition)

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help
motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.
I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,
whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.
As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your
daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has
space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.
Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if
you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.
Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.
I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to
yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!