Lightening your Emotional Load

I`d like to share a blog post I read today  at KORA ORGANICS on lightening one's "emotional load".  She likens our emotional baggage to actual bags whilst travelling, and how much freer we could feel with less bags (bags meaning our emotional load of course).

 I am truly a believer in the power of thought. Our thoughts determine our emotions and our bodies react to our thoughts on many many levels. I believe we all hold on to un-dealt-with emotions in a variety of ways. Shonagh shares SIX TIPS on lightening your emotional load, and I couldn`t agree more!  I must say that they are easier said than done, but with daily practice it can make a world of difference in your life! I`ll share more of my own thoughts after the article, enjoy!

Lighten Your Load  (by Shonagh Walker)

  A friend of mine just travelled the world with just one tiny carry on bag. She went to five different countries over the course of one month. She said she skipped from plane to plane, without a care in the world. What a perfect summer vacation!

I’m the opposite kind of traveler. I take two suitcases and fill them with plenty of ski clothes (my vacations are usually at the snow), lovely coats and shoes, cosmetics, plus plenty of room for shopping.

By the end of my travels, I am exhausted. The suitcases are inevitably shabby and broken, with wheels groaning under their weight, and I’ve typically strained a muscle or two, lugging them on and off the baggage carousel at various airports.

Think of your life as a trip, and your suitcases as your thoughts and emotions. Do you want to carry around that neat little carry on case, that allows you to skip happily from destination to destination, free from cares and troubles? Or do you want to lug around heavy, broken and debilitating cases that slow your journey and exhaust you?

I know which one I’d prefer. It’s not always that easy though, is it? There are some ways you can lighten your emotional load, though.

Here are a few tips. 

1. Learn to Forgive

 
Forgiveness they say is not about the person who wronged you. It’s about your healing and healthy emotional being. While it is not always easy, we should learn to forgive. If you don’t, the anger and resentment can build up inside you and can weigh down your thoughts and emotions. You risk becoming a bitter and negative person. You don’t necessarily have to accept that person back into your life, but you can send them blessings and let the incident go. 

2. Practice Gratitude

 
If you’re ever feeling like the load is too much to bear, that the world is weighing you down, or the sadness in your life is overwhelming, try to make a list of all the great tings you have. Better still keep a gratitude journal. Write in it each day, and list all the things – big or small – that make you happy. It could be as small as, “I am grateful that the sun is shining today,” to as big as, “I am grateful for the family and friends that love me and the health that I enjoy”. 

3. Remember how much you have

 
The other day, I started eating my lunch and realised I was using the fork with the dodgy tine. It sticks up, out of alignment with the other two tines, and is uncomfortable in my mouth when I take a bite. I was about to throw it out, when I realised just how blessed I am that I actually have food. And even more so to have clean utensils with which to eat it. I sent out a prayer of gratitude and sent blessings to the millions of people around the world who are hungry, not just at that moment, but all the time. If you are feeling overburdened, go to the sink, turn on your tap and pour a glass of water. Remember how free and luck you are to be able to do that. Millions in this world do not have access to clean water. 

4. Throw away negative thoughts

Worry and stress only add to your load. They don’t lighten it. And they sure don’t help solve problems. If you are faced with a problem that seems insurmountable, dissect it and tackle it one small step at a time. Use your energy wisely – don’t exhaust yourself worrying, instead, plan a strategy to make the problem disappear. Remember too, that every problem or obstacles, represents an opportunity to grow! 

5. Always look for the good in any situation

Eckhart Tolle said, “Whatever the moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.” Wise words. Whether it is good or bad, you are in the situation. You can choose to let it overpower and overwhelm you, or you can choose to learn from it and grow. Live in that moment. Think about how your actions today shape your future. Make wise, positive and thoughtful choices. You will eventually end up where you need to be, and where you belong.

6. Share the love

 
Do not be afraid to compliment people, or to say sorry if you have done the wrong thing, or thank you if they have helped you out. Communication is the key to lightening your emotional load. Practice respectful, positive, thoughtful, loving and intentional conversation and you will soon see a shift in energy

 My experiences with Forgiveness: 

It took me a long long time to realize that Forgiveness really does equal FREEDOM.  Speaking from personal experience, when we refuse to forgive (or hold grudges against another), we are actually burdening ourselves! We hold onto that anger and resentment, inside of us, this poison, our bodies will negatively react. Our bodies will react to our negative thoughts about a situation (or person) exactly the same if these thoughts were about ourselves.  All the while this person we`re angry with- continues about their life, possibly not even clued in to how YOU feel. Life is too short.  Let it go.  It doesn't matter if someone has really wronged you or even how. Simply drop it. Drop it like a hot potato! It is their issue, not yours anymore. Their journey. Not yours. We cannot control what others think about us or even what they do to us. And like the article said, forgiveness doesn't mean we have to keep this person in our lives.  We make so many mistakes in our lifetime.  We are human.  A bad decision does not define us as a whole.  Wouldn't you want forgiveness? I know I would :) I wouldn't say I'm an expert at dropping these feelings immediately..but it doesn't take long for me to come around, practice makes perfect :)

On Gratitude:  I am a big fan of owning an "attitude of gratitude" and I've mentioned Gratitude in this blog before.  A gratitude journal is life changing. It's easy to list things we're un-grateful for, but you know what's more fun? Being grateful for all that I have, and excitement for what is coming :) 

#5 is also very special to me as Eckhart Tolle is one of my "mentors" (for lack of a better word). For more on him checkout my tab called "The Power of Now".  I should definitely add more to that label!

And of course, on Sharing the Love, one of my latest favourite mantras these days when I'm faced with an uncomfortable situation is  "I choose Love" I got it from one of the Chopra meditations, and I -well- love it haha.

I work at all of the above every day, I am slowly changing my thought patterns.  Some days, moments, weeks, are harder than others, but this is always my intent.  And I do see the change.  I am getting better at acknowledging my emotions, questioning them, and turning around my mood.

"Every day I wake up, I choose Love, I choose Light"