Alegria, I can really relate to your struggles here — thank you for sharing this story from the heart.
I love the Zen story you used; I use it often in my mindfulness work because it captures so beautifully how we keep carrying what was meant to be set down. Your image of luggage and weight feels especially powerful — we don’t just carry stories in our minds, but in our hearts, our muscles, our very bodies.
You asked us to share our techniques for changing the narrative, and I find myself asking: Is this story true? Is it helpful? Where does it come from? How can I acknowledge it? Sometimes I even thank the story for how it’s trying to help me, and then gently tell it it’s time to be on its way.
It’s hard to sit with these narratives with self-compassion, and brave to name them as you have. I believe change begins there; by acknowledging the story, something shifts, and by sharing it, we discover what authentically works and remember we aren’t alone. Thank you for leading the way. Wishing you peace and ease 💛✨
Thank you for your beautiful and much appreciated message Kim. The questions you ask are so valuable. I’m saving them to share with others. And you’re right, we carry stories in all parts of us. Often our interpretations of them. And when these interpretations don’t serve us well, it is time to let them go. Thank you for your wisdom and kind message my friend. 💕
"It is the on-going narratives we carry in our heads that cause us the most suffering." - this is so true and something I have been trying to work on. Thank you for sharing, this is something I will come back to reflect on.
Such a common issue for people to have to deal with, which you explained so eloquently. I think I may carry out a little reflection on this piece later. A lovely gift of inner peace, Alegria.
Thank you so very much Simon. It is a common issue. We all hold on to far too much that robs us of our peace in the present moment. Thanks very much for reading. I’ll look forward to reading your reflection.
Thank you for this Alegria. 🧡 I laughed out loud at the Gorilla Glue :) So true. I have used all the best Super Glues in the world and even Duck Tape, usually across my mouth to stop me speaking out loud all those necessary words to certain people!! I have also used boxes and bags of many types to shove down, hide, ignore, all the different things I don't want to see because they were always my fault. Yet they regularly broke free and stole my happiness when I least expected them to. I have been married to the same man for 50 years this year and he rarely ever holds on to anything for more than one minute!! He does not give anything that I might worry about even a second thought. Yet could I learn to do that? No. I think we are all made so differently and who knows why.
My only wish is that it had not taken me almost 60 years to realise I 'was' allowed to get rid of them and that so many were old empty, holey bags with nothing in anyway!! And more importantly, to learn not to carry so many bags for other people. Realising the power of saying NO and also that 'Now,' is 'all' that exists, is so true. No past, No future. I don't get why I never ever learned that as a child. It could have saved a whole lot of bags! And glue!
But humour aside, I think we must have to walk with 'some' demons in life to come out a better and wiser human being. Many of my demons are sat in a bunch of journals from 2019 and the COVID era gave me that silent space to face them. Now I can thankfully read some and laugh at them. I'm not saying there is nothing that troubles me, there is, and some things are not resolved, but writing so many words about those things does help me leave them in the ether and once done, I come back to only being in one moment, at any one time, for as much of the day as I can. 💜
Thanks so much for your honest message Sally. How wonderful that your husband had balanced things out. And I have similar. He worries, but not about anything I worry about. And that does create good balance for me. I too wish it hadn’t taken this long to come to some of these realizations. I wasted a whole lot of glue, for sure. I think the younger generations are much more emotionally aware. I certainly did not know these things as a young person. Whatever the timing, the point is we do come to terms with things and arrive at these realizations as we need to. And I’m grateful for that.
Thank you so much for being here, reading with such care, and sharing your beautiful message with me. 💕
Wonderful piece and I love the analogy of carrying luggage that doesn't bear your nametag! I'll let this brew for a bit, but off the top of my head, in many instances, I've had the ability to compartmentalize. Now, that's not to say it's always a good thing to do, but it has helped inasmuch as I've been able to recognize luggage that isn't mine, on occasion. But, I'm sure there's more to be uncovered and discovered with further contemplation. Thank you for the invitation, Alegria!
Wise words Sharon. Of course, allow it to brew. I too need to think about the concept of compartmentalizing. Someone recently told me that’s how they handle past suffering, and I wondered out loud if it was simply a suppression of emotion or an actual putting it away because it’s done. I need to read more about it. So glad you know which luggage isn’t yours. Thanks so very much for reading with such attention Sharon. Appreciate you being here. 💕
Need to sit with this one a while…and probably find the bolt cutters to sever the handcuffs holding some of those cases to me. Wonderfully done, Alegria! 💞
Thank you Dawn for appreciating the message in my post and allowing it to sit with you. I do hope you find those bolt cutters. I can lend you mind, even though they’re well used. Thanks so much for reading with such care. 💕
Alegria, I can really relate to your struggles here — thank you for sharing this story from the heart.
I love the Zen story you used; I use it often in my mindfulness work because it captures so beautifully how we keep carrying what was meant to be set down. Your image of luggage and weight feels especially powerful — we don’t just carry stories in our minds, but in our hearts, our muscles, our very bodies.
You asked us to share our techniques for changing the narrative, and I find myself asking: Is this story true? Is it helpful? Where does it come from? How can I acknowledge it? Sometimes I even thank the story for how it’s trying to help me, and then gently tell it it’s time to be on its way.
It’s hard to sit with these narratives with self-compassion, and brave to name them as you have. I believe change begins there; by acknowledging the story, something shifts, and by sharing it, we discover what authentically works and remember we aren’t alone. Thank you for leading the way. Wishing you peace and ease 💛✨
Thank you for your beautiful and much appreciated message Kim. The questions you ask are so valuable. I’m saving them to share with others. And you’re right, we carry stories in all parts of us. Often our interpretations of them. And when these interpretations don’t serve us well, it is time to let them go. Thank you for your wisdom and kind message my friend. 💕
"It is the on-going narratives we carry in our heads that cause us the most suffering." - this is so true and something I have been trying to work on. Thank you for sharing, this is something I will come back to reflect on.
Thanks for reading Kathleen. It is something we all do. It takes real consideration to change the narrative. Thanks for being here.
Such a common issue for people to have to deal with, which you explained so eloquently. I think I may carry out a little reflection on this piece later. A lovely gift of inner peace, Alegria.
Thank you so very much Simon. It is a common issue. We all hold on to far too much that robs us of our peace in the present moment. Thanks very much for reading. I’ll look forward to reading your reflection.
Thank you for this Alegria. 🧡 I laughed out loud at the Gorilla Glue :) So true. I have used all the best Super Glues in the world and even Duck Tape, usually across my mouth to stop me speaking out loud all those necessary words to certain people!! I have also used boxes and bags of many types to shove down, hide, ignore, all the different things I don't want to see because they were always my fault. Yet they regularly broke free and stole my happiness when I least expected them to. I have been married to the same man for 50 years this year and he rarely ever holds on to anything for more than one minute!! He does not give anything that I might worry about even a second thought. Yet could I learn to do that? No. I think we are all made so differently and who knows why.
My only wish is that it had not taken me almost 60 years to realise I 'was' allowed to get rid of them and that so many were old empty, holey bags with nothing in anyway!! And more importantly, to learn not to carry so many bags for other people. Realising the power of saying NO and also that 'Now,' is 'all' that exists, is so true. No past, No future. I don't get why I never ever learned that as a child. It could have saved a whole lot of bags! And glue!
But humour aside, I think we must have to walk with 'some' demons in life to come out a better and wiser human being. Many of my demons are sat in a bunch of journals from 2019 and the COVID era gave me that silent space to face them. Now I can thankfully read some and laugh at them. I'm not saying there is nothing that troubles me, there is, and some things are not resolved, but writing so many words about those things does help me leave them in the ether and once done, I come back to only being in one moment, at any one time, for as much of the day as I can. 💜
Thanks so much for your honest message Sally. How wonderful that your husband had balanced things out. And I have similar. He worries, but not about anything I worry about. And that does create good balance for me. I too wish it hadn’t taken this long to come to some of these realizations. I wasted a whole lot of glue, for sure. I think the younger generations are much more emotionally aware. I certainly did not know these things as a young person. Whatever the timing, the point is we do come to terms with things and arrive at these realizations as we need to. And I’m grateful for that.
Thank you so much for being here, reading with such care, and sharing your beautiful message with me. 💕
Powerful truth that isn't spoken often enough. Thank you Alegria!
Thank you for reading Stephanie. Appreciate you being here.
Wonderful piece and I love the analogy of carrying luggage that doesn't bear your nametag! I'll let this brew for a bit, but off the top of my head, in many instances, I've had the ability to compartmentalize. Now, that's not to say it's always a good thing to do, but it has helped inasmuch as I've been able to recognize luggage that isn't mine, on occasion. But, I'm sure there's more to be uncovered and discovered with further contemplation. Thank you for the invitation, Alegria!
Wise words Sharon. Of course, allow it to brew. I too need to think about the concept of compartmentalizing. Someone recently told me that’s how they handle past suffering, and I wondered out loud if it was simply a suppression of emotion or an actual putting it away because it’s done. I need to read more about it. So glad you know which luggage isn’t yours. Thanks so very much for reading with such attention Sharon. Appreciate you being here. 💕
Need to sit with this one a while…and probably find the bolt cutters to sever the handcuffs holding some of those cases to me. Wonderfully done, Alegria! 💞
Thank you Dawn for appreciating the message in my post and allowing it to sit with you. I do hope you find those bolt cutters. I can lend you mind, even though they’re well used. Thanks so much for reading with such care. 💕