Teaspoon of Happy Losing our baggage
Sarah May Bates

There is such a thing as growing out of our baggage. When we go through a big change it can force us to see ourselves differently, or help us to realize something that has been hurtful all along. A sudden change in perspective gives us a gift in that we lose our blindness to many things that have become habit. It’s like hitting a reset button on ourselves, one that brings great opportunity for growth that might otherwise have taken years to arrive at.

This perspective change also comes from a dedication to personal growth. When we constantly work on ourselves and commit to attaining happiness, confidence and peace, we confront a lot of the pains that plague us, and with time, dispel them. Because we bond with certain people based on shared issues, when we grow things just won’t fit as well anymore. Relationships, social habits, even jobs or hobbies. Sometimes we find that we must move on, as the self we have shed was our only tie to this thing. It can be sad and confusing to let go, especially when it comes to people you love.

If it’s too painful to let go, it doesn’t mean that we have to say goodbye for good. There just needs to be an interim time of reestablishing new ways of relating to one-another. It can be awkward and painful when another attempts to relate to you in old ways. The most important thing to do is trust your gut when it’s telling you “ouch!” When you feel hurt, you feel hurt. When you feel uncomfortable, you feel uncomfortable. That is a reality and therefor you should respect and react to it. If something is not making you feel good, you shouldn’t make yourself hang around it. Do what you need to do to remove yourself from the situation, whether it means creating a diversion or creating an excuse. Until you’re able to do something without it bringing up painful feelings, it’s best not to do it at all. Once we gain a good amount of distance, we can better see things objectively and old wounds won’t feel so tender to the touch.

Personal growth and change is never a bad thing and should never be regretted. It’s about survival and deciding you value your life and your self enough to cease the things that hurt you. Remember that you need to first love yourself in order to properly love others. Only then can you identify and build relationships with others based on positives vs. negatives. To take care of and protect yourself is not selfish or petty, it is brave and enlightening. It is the path to seeing reality clearly, and making sense of the world around you. And when we grow and change often those we love will see it and follow. Other times, our growth will lead us to a new place that’s better than we could have ever imagined. One that rewards our health and helps us to thrive.

Happy Sunday,  friends.

xox Sarah

 Featured image Copyright All rights reserved by freshlymadephotos on Flickr

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  1. This post was at a good time for me as well – thank you =)

  2. I have read this so many times since you first posted it. This was exactly what I, and I’m sure many others, needed. Lucid & truly encouraging. Thank you so much!

  3. Great article , perfect timing to read this.

  4. Thanks for posting! and you are absolutely right!:)that’s actually what I tell myself sometimes:)

  5. Thank you so much for writing such a beautiful inspiring article. I am going through a really rough time right now, and to see these words have sent me aiming for better change again. I know that the path I will now take on will be far from easy, and will bring damage and distress in it’s own right, but I know that the end result will make it worth it.!
    Thank you <3

    • Awe I wish u luck Sarah. I believe it is worth it and you can have what you want if you never stop walking toward it. Good luck and I will be thinking of you. xoxo

  6. *therefore

    I enjoyed reading your article.

    • LOL thanks Man – I am glad you caught that. I admit I actually didn’t know the difference before your note.. heh.. Anyhoo thanks and glad you liked!

  7. Thanks Sarah. This article is very enlightning and makes a point about life I think too few people are aware of!

  8. I haven’t posted on your articles for awhile because things have been kind of crappy, but reading them always gives me a little lift. Unfortunately, I feel like I’ve picked up some new baggage recently. Enough to fill a passenger jet. But it’ll come together. It has to.

    • Elisabeth! Haven’t seen u in a while. Sorry to hear that… and yes you know you are right. It will and you will and it will be okay. Thinking of u xoxo

  9. Thank you Sarah. This was absolutely perfect. I’ve been dropping so much lately and it’s good to get a heads up that everything is alright!!

  10. This is great. Thanks so much for writing it. I feel like it has more articulately explained something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. :)

  11. Painfully true.

  12. Thank you so much for writing this!! I needed someone to tell me this, right now. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

  13. This was so beautifully said!

  14. Thank you for this. This is exactly what I needed to hear as I just made a big change in my life. I’ve discovered just how important it is to listen to that “inner voice” even when you may not think it’s the right choice. In my case, it definitely was. This article just helped me to reaffirm my choice.

  15. Sarah, incredible!! Thank you! xx