Learn to Travel Light

Baggage. We all have some. (You do too! You know you do, so fess up!) Some of us have more than others. Whether you are lugging around a tattered duffel, or you have accumulated enough of a past to lay claim to a steamer trunk, you don't have to own it forever! (I have an old and threadbare 5 piece set that I'm trying to toss.) You can get rid of your baggage! I am living proof. I used to have a 6 piece set and a footlocker. Here's to freedom!

How to abandon your old useless baggage:

Step 1 - Acknowledge the baggage as useless.

Step 2 - Be willing to walk away without your baggage.

Don't worry. Security will not stop you.

Step 3 - See Step 1 again. Remember: Pointing out

another person's baggage doesn't count. Nice try,

though.

Step 4 - Don't try to leave all of your baggage at

once. A small carry-on bag is fine to start out with.

Leave the steamer trunk for a little later.

Step 5 - Don't try to get rid of your baggage by

ringing a friend's door bell, dumping it all on their

doorstep and running away. First of all, it's unfair

and obnoxious. Second, if you really like your friend

you won't leave an obstacle for them to trip over the

next time they venture out!

Step 6 - Remember that the idea behind clearing your

baggage cart is the idea of traveling light. Your

reward will be the feeling of freedom and

accomplishment. You will no longer have to carry that

weight around. Someone attached to a baggage cart, is

never fun at parties.  It's also a very bad idea to

bring your baggage into a relationship. Your new

favorite  person probably won't have the spare space

for all of your baggage. OK...an overnight bag is cool

but don't bring the footlocker with you!Bringing

baggage with you and asking your partner to help you

store it, is an imposition at the very least.It's

certainly a mood killer!

Step 7 - Open the first piece of baggage and look at

what you are hauling around. If you are dragging your

hated third grade teacher around with you to prove

that you won't succeed,you already know you don't want

her influence anymore. If you open that case and see

your ex and all of their baggage tucked in with

yours, you can take that to the nearest dumpster and

heave ho! (We call them ex.'s for a reason!) If you

are carrying around a joyless or harmful relationship

with someone, then ask yourself why.Seriously...why? Doesn't it make more sense to let go of the misery rather than cling to the baggage strap and drag that crap back onto the train? Duh?

Step 7 may be the most important step. In this step we

are facing our worst insecurities, our most horrible

fears and a deep well of failure and regret. It takes

a brave soul to open that case and look at the

darkness inside. You are that brave soul. You know

that its just useless baggage, with no power of its

own to stay with you. You have been the one clinging

to the handle. This is your life. You are the powerful

one. You can now be the one to recognize the things in

this case for what they are...and just...let go.

Step 8 - Swing your arm forward with all of your

strength, allowing momentum to help and let go of the

handle.

Step 9 - Watch that baggage soar into the nearest

trash can. (Yay! You did it! Woohoo!)

Step 10 - Take a deep breath, roll your neck and

shoulders to loosen up and flex those stiffened, tired

fingers. That felt great! That damn thing was getting

heavier every year!

Step 11 - Walk away...Really walk away. You won't

really miss it, you are just used to lugging that bag

with you everywhere you go. So...walk away and keep

walking.

Step 12 - Never-ever look back.