I have many traumatic situations from my past that invade my dreams most every night. The whole point of all this is to understand how to move past our emotional baggage. It takes a great amount of discernment to tell the difference between whether you are damaging your relationship by basing it on the past, or if you are experiencing the same abuse as you did in the past. How much emotional baggage is too much? So today I want to share 5 signs your emotional baggage is holding you back. For example, if you love to garden, cook, play the piano, or other fulfilling things, your emotional baggage will leave you with no interest in these things anymore. If not at all times we exhibit some signs in our day today interactions.Some of the emotional baggage. Sometimes emotional baggage can cost a lot of mental energy. So, what gives? This could be what’s happening to you too. Absolutely. 12 Signs of an Emotional Masochist: Is This You? Sometimes it can be two people hashing through unhealthy pasts. And I’ve been there. Closeness: You find it hard or stressful to get close to someone. Emotional baggage can make it difficult to connect with romantic partners. I just thought I would let you know that. This won’t be a pretty site either. I’ve noticed that the first thing people want to do is forget about what happened, and this is the opposite of what they should be doing. Sometimes I feel okay in the morning, but sometimes I feel as though I’ve been run over by a truck. So, if you find yourself having more rough nights than good nights, it might be time to look closer at your issues. Nothing felt right and I was hopeless no matter what I tried. If you’re not facing the past, you are dragging huge trunks of emotional belongings. The baggage we carry with our emotions can spill out so far that it can affect others around us too, adding to their own problems. Most of the time, they get the same or worse because they haven’t unpacked their baggage yet. Here are 10 signs of suppressed emotions: ... Another method is to put your feelings down on paper that will enable you to start unloading your emotional baggage. And they don't have to hold power over you anymore. If this is something you’re experiencing, I’m so sorry. Even if those details aren’t important, you’ll forever feel an uneasiness as if you haven’t made peace with your internal conflicts. I hope you unpack your baggage soon. The death of a loved one, childhood issues and a long list of other things can affect us negatively. It is important for you to find a sense of hope and a willingness to heal from whatever in your past is troubling you. BUT, sometimes, the next partner does the same things as the one before. With this background and personal experience, she strives to help others overcome trauma and abuse, cope with mental illness, and heal over time. Oh, how this is such a wrong thing to do. But once you do, you’ll uncover what could be weighing you down so you can live the life you want. If you’re taking a perfectly healthy union and basing it on all your damaged or broken unions of the past, then you are carrying baggage filled with old emotional content. And there’s a reason your brain is keeping you awake. That is unless your family is the source of some kind of abuse, in which that baggage now has to be forgiven. Imagine reading a book with a few pages of a chapter missing. It’s literally zero fun to think about your baggage. Simply put, it is trauma, heartache, loss, love, lost friendships, and all other sorts of things. If he is busy, he will let you know when he has time to speak to you again. If you’ve had any outbursts lately, then check to see if you have a bit of baggage left unchecked. Here they are! You’ll be lighter and happier once you do. 7 Signs Your Emotional Baggage Is Eroding Your Current Relationship 1. We worked through a bunch of issues I never knew I had. Well, grab those and learn what went wrong. Not all mental disorders are genetic. You take your past out on others—for example, irrationally treating someone like crap because they remind you of someone who hurt you. Feeling angry much of the time. Your emotional baggage is heavier than most burdens, mostly because they’re unresolved issues in your life. Do you have some childhood abuse folded up in there, maybe a whole stack of it? We give you some of the signs that may indicate that the girl you are dating has emotional baggage. Everyone has emotional baggage. And while you might be aware of your past trauma, it’s not the same as actually working through it. These benefits are similar to the ones you’ll have when you discard your emotional baggage: you’ll feel free, lighthearted, and make the statement that … Feeling anxious much of the time. However, it’s a big indicator that your emotional baggage is not letting you move on if you’re continually dating or associating with the same types of people. And guess what? Feeling insecure – If you are feeling insecure for nothing, then this is a sign of emotional baggage. This is where it gets complicated. For instance, release and let go when your fears are getting the better of you. Your tendency is to react negatively by withdrawing, feeling hopeless or behaving angrily. Release and let go when you’re consistently making … If the new partner is indeed doing the same thing, you can expect they will blame your emotional baggage for your complaints about them. Otherwise, this will lead to distrust and eventual breakup. 50 questions that will help you do that here. Emotions passed from one experience to the other can kill passions that you used to have inside. And if you want tips to work with the physical side of insomnia, I have an article about that here. Find someone who loves you enough to help you unpack. Do you have unhealthy past relationships rolled into the corner of the suitcase trying to hide and be forgotten? Whether it’s the fact that you’ve been divorced several times, or you’re having problems connecting with the right people. So, once I became aware that this was a big piece of emotional baggage I was lugging around, I was able to work on it. These assessments will quiz what you know about emotional baggage in the workplace. Emotional suppression is the deliberate or pushing away or conscious avoidance of thoughts or feelings to cope with trauma. For some reason, we keep ruminating and mulling over these issues, never finding closure or healing. And after that, I felt amazing. If you constantly feel like life just isn’t the way you want it to be, chances are that you’ve got issues that are blocking you. We can try to push and cram all our emotional belongings into a suitcase in our minds, but sooner or later, that suitcase is going to burst open, spilling all our emotional garbage everywhere. 1- She has unexplained phone conversations You're home from work and she's on the telephone having an emotional jam session with her next of kin. So many of us carry emotional baggage from somewhere. Yes, your emotions can block you from getting the deep sleep you need. Effects of Emotional Baggage There may be something that is an absolute no-no for her. You can end up carrying all types of emotional baggage, especially other people’s baggage if you are not careful! And yes, it’s taken me years to get through that one. Hey there! So make sure it truly is emotional baggage you’re dealing with. Filed Under: Healing Baggage Tagged With: emotional baggage, emotional health, help yourself, mental health, self connection, self help, self love. I did it for freedom, to be lightweight as I travel the world, and to make a statement to myself that I will always value experiences over possessions.. When you carry baggage from place to place, you will … Some of them come from years of being stuck in an unhealthy place. Are you having trouble sleeping? She has a number of pre-conceived notions. And for goodness sake, never stay for the kids. Emotional baggage is as unique to each person as the suitcase they pack it in. I moved to 4 different countries, 5 states and I still didn’t feel like I was on track to getting any happier in my life. If a relationship is ruining your mental health, get out. I do believe that emotional baggage is bad. For example, if you’re working at a job you love but the company’s ethics don’t match with yours. And if you are, then maybe it’s because of unresolved conflicts and trauma. Another sign your emotional baggage is weighing you down is that you haven’t slept well for months or maybe years. Releasing and letting go when facing difficulties certainly ain’t easy. And I had to address those reasons. If this is something you’re experiencing, I’m so … Actually, he even might act better than any man you’ve met before him. Sherrie manages multiple mental illnesses, including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. In fact, a lot of people avoid it. I know this personally because it’s something I struggled with for about 10 years. Most of the time, where relationships are concerned, it’s wise to stay alone for a few years between. You’re not living your potential. While I knew it negatively affected me, I was afraid to address the issue on a deeper level. Here are 6 clear signs you might have emotional baggage and unwittingly sabotaging your love life: 1. 7 Signs Your Emotional Baggage Is Keeping You Stuck and How to Move On Sherrie Hurd. However, it’s a big indicator that your emotional baggage is not letting you move on if you’re continually dating or associating with the same types of people. Toxic relationships can come in all kinds of forms. He constantly compares you to his ex If he’s incapable of seeing your relationship as new and separate from the others, it’s clear his baggage … About This Quiz & Worksheet. And if you never took the time to deal with it, the old emotions surrounding it can hold you back. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sometimes, it takes reflecting and introspection to see that you’re repeating the same situation or relationship. According to Lisa Concepcion, certified love coach and founder of LoveQuest Coaching, inconsistency is a major sign that your partner's last relationship is holding them back. If you have been lied to and/or cheated on, you may have a fear of deception. If not their bad behavior, such as lying, will rub off on you. Learning Mind does not provide medical, psychological, or any other type of professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It shows up in our relationships, clouding our judgement and getting in the way of us connecting with those we care about. Unfortunately, it’s often not until you’re knee-deep in a relationship that you realize just how much baggage he or she has. If you're carrying negative emotional memories from your past then you have emotional baggage. Learning Mind has over 50,000 email subscribers and more than 1,5 million followers on social media. It’s not a matter of if you have it but rather what you do with it and how you overcome it. As adults, emotional baggage probably can have the biggest effect on our romantic relationships. And I’ve experienced tons of benefits, and the quality of my relationships with other people and myself has improved dramatically. You would start yelling at someone after holding in your feelings for too long, or you could even get into a fight. Emotional baggage grows and grows the more trauma you ignore and the longer you keep it buried. I’m here to help you unlock the superpower of your emotions. No regrets remember. When you carry baggage from place to place, you will become weighed down, tired and even hopeless. Here are six signs that the guy you’re dating can’t seem to shake his emotional past, and maybe it’s just not meant to be. Emotional Baggage, we all have it at some point and its perfectly normal. It was when I took a first look at my baggage that I started finding my own sense of joy. 2. Sometimes adults are survivors of war, automobile accidents, or other trauma. So, if you’re aware of some past baggage you never worked through, what are you waiting for? Here are some hints to recognizing it. If it’s just about old disagreements, you have to face each other and find a compromise. With 20 unhappy years under your belt, you have several backpacks full of stuff you need to unpack. Actions like this can develop depression, anxiety, and other acquired problems. You may show signs of being overly suspicious of others and guarded. One of the things that really held me back was codependency with my parents. As someone who suppressed my emotions for most of my life, I know exactly what it feels like to have emotional baggage. You're the projecting queen. At the base of sleeplessness, there are usually two parts of yourself that are in conflict with each other. Each adult person has different types of emotional baggage. People with emotional baggage often engage in destructive behaviors. But there are some common issues – and feelings surrounding them – that arise, says Ward. If you tend to handle your baggage this way, you may tend to feel anxious, isolated, angry, resentful, depressed and even lonely. Emotional Baggage is a metaphor that refers to our negative, unprocessed, unresolved and unexpressed feelings and emotions from our past experiences. Unfortunately, I know way too many people who hop from one relationship to the next, looking for better. If you have unresolved issues, hence the baggage, sooner or later, there will be an outburst of some kind. They are things that our minds refuse to release. You can have an otherwise healthy relationship, but it can be quickly tainted by things from the past. If most of the answers that you chose were the letter “A,” you have a hard time dealing with your emotional burdens. ‘My Life Is Going Nowhere’: What to Do If You Feel This Way. It is important to trust your partner if you have agreed to date them. It shows in the way we speak, our actions, and even our expressions. So, I put together a list of things I experienced first hand that were red flags that I had some baggage to work through. You can try and try, but it will feel like trying to get blood from a stone. But once you work through it, you’ll feel so much better. When you just cannot move forward in life, it could be that your unresolved emotional issues are weighing you down. Whether you’ve just gotten out of a toxic relationship or need to leave one, make sure to look at the issues surrounding it. But once I did, I was clear to start dating people who made me feel special. For instance, if you keep dating similar types of guys and can’t figure out why. Sometimes adults are survivors of childhood abuse or neglect. If left unresolved, these pent up emotional issues can be detrimental to your physical, emotional and mental health. Maybe you’ve been in a marriage for 20 years, enduring unhappiness for the sake of your children. There are many ways to unpack those suitcases and backpacks, but if you don’t you will carry them with you forever. 6 Signs Emotional Baggage Is Sabotaging Your Relationships. You can’t make a relationship work with a man who has emotional baggage. As a survivor of childhood trauma and multiple types of abuse, she is an advocate for mental health awareness. It put me on a positive trajectory of getting to know myself and letting go of my baggage. Sherrie Hurd is a professional writer and artist with over 20 years of experience. Emotional baggage can keep us stuck in unhealthy patterns of behaviors, such as being friends with people who do not make us feel good or who are a bad influence on us. I went to a self-actualization program with a couple of friends. And, no matter how old you are, you don’t want to have these things still sitting by your bedside at the end of your life. When you first meet a damaged guy who carries a lot of emotional baggage within himself, you will have no idea about everything he’s been through. If you follow the advice of best-selling author and dating coach Gregg Michaelsen , you know you are a woman of value who can have her pick of men. One of the signs that you have some issues to address is that you keep experiencing the same things over and over again. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could train yourself to spot emotional baggage sooner so that … Emotional Baggage implies that one is dealing with residual emotional issues and carrying a lot of hurt, pain, sadness, regret and even anger within. Sometimes it feels like no matter what you try, you can never get your life to be what you want. I mean, it’s definitely impossible that EVERY guy on the planet is immature or a cheater or [insert generalization here]. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Ugh. Perhaps you’ve moved cities, changed careers, tried dating new types of people and you STILL don’t have the life you want. However, there are moments when it’s beneficial to step back, to release all attachment, and gain a proper perspective of the situation. Learning Mind is a blog created by Anna LeMind, B.A., with the purpose to give you food for thought and solutions for understanding yourself and living a more meaningful life. For example, there was a point in my life where I felt completely lost. Emotional distance is one of the most glaring signs of emotional baggage in a relationship. To share a very personal example, my dad went to prison when I was 17 years old. Yep, at times it feels like someone specific is stopping us from having what we want. When you just cannot move forward in life, it could be that your unresolved emotional issues are weighing you down. Then you apply these scars to your present situation. Another sign your emotional baggage is weighing you down is that you haven’t slept well for months or maybe years. © Learning Mind 2012-2021 | All Rights Reserved |, 7 Signs Your Emotional Baggage Is Keeping You Stuck and How to Move On, Online Disinhibition Effect Explains Why Some People Become Jerks Online, The Feynman Technique and How to Use It to Learn and Understand Anything, 8 Signs the Power of Subconscious Mind Is Changing Your Life. And I think that is the essential thing everybody should do who is having emotional baggage. Sharing tips + tools for managing emotions + loving yourself profoundly. Say there were two bad relationships, look at one, and objectively remember where the fights, disagreements, and divisions started. 1. What are some of your signals that you have an issue to work on? A strong emotional bond is an essential pillar of a healthy relationship. Emotional distance. While it’s an ongoing project to work on myself, I’m currently feeling better than I ever have. Honestly, I wasn’t even aware that I had issues that were weighing me down. Get Your Free Copy of My Emotional Self-Care Guide, Newsletter Contact Shop Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Disclosure Affiliates, « 4 Signs You’re Trying to be Perfect and How to Stop. It can be called deflecting in a way. If you’re repeating bad marriages or relationships, then maybe you’re carrying your baggage from one relationship to the other. But ever since I have, my life has changed! Let’s face it: We’ve all had the oh-so-delightful experience of dating someone who had too much emotional baggage. He will call you and set up regular dates. If you find yourself never getting where you want to go, it might be time to look at your baggage. If so, maybe you’re having nightmares every night. Until I get all this stuff cleaned out, my nights will continue to be inconsistent. So, one of the ways I’ve gotten happier and healthier is by working on my personal issues. Seek support and gu… Negative emotions from your past don't have to control your life. It’s just a complete mess and something that’s best eliminated or controlled. The very next guy I met, I happened to end up marrying. It is better to accept that bad things happen and instead of wallowing in the past bad experience we need to let it go and move on. And I share tips for how to work with your insomnia here. 1. I am working on mine. And no, we're not projecting. Carrying your issues from one relationship to the next hurts you and your partner. You project your insecurities. Emotional baggage can really weigh you down. You can read about how I worked through it here. After a while I got so sick of it and wanted to change things. Look for these 8 Signs Your Partner Has Too Much Emotional Baggage For A Relationship: He Sends You Mixed Signals; A man who is interested in a relationship with you will pursue you for a relationship. Do you ever feel like you’d be happier or freer if that certain someone wasn’t in your life? Everyone comes with baggage. This is all that I own. Then unfold it, look at it, and talk to someone about what happened. Am I right? And they leave you with unwanted baggage that can weigh you down. If your girlfriend has fixed notions about some aspects of the relationship, then it could mean that she has some emotional baggage. Tell me in the comments! Insomnia is frustrating! If you don’t feel like doing the things you used to love, then that’s a sign you’re carrying the past into the present, and you’re also stuck in that pattern, maybe even stuck with someone that doesn’t make you happy. Here are six clear signs you might have emotional baggage and it might be sabotaging your love life: Nothing brings out our worst demons than being vulnerable in love. Bullying and rejection are common causes of emotional baggage. Literally. I know, I know. Like I said in the beginning, dealing with your baggage isn’t the most fun thing to do. Your perfect girlfriend, the one you've been waiting all this time for, may be carrying around some extra emotional baggage. Instead, he will act like any other guy. Here are just some of the ways emotional baggage might be messing with your life (like, right now): 1. If emotional baggage concerns family relations, you have to continue staying in touch with your family despite what may have happened in the past. His or her behavior is very unpredictable. And like it’s been said: the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives. So many of us carry emotional baggage … If you happen to have a good partner, this is not fair to them. Everyone needs to know these things because people who use your pain from the past to hurt you again should be weeded out, confronted, and if they cannot stop, should be left with their own toxicity. Here are five signs you have emotional baggage and how carrying it over into your relationship may end in a breakup. It’s like cramming things in that suitcase we were talking about and not expecting it to pop open eventually. While there are red flags telling you that something is wrong, there are also coincidences that make you over-react and drag out old emotional scars. But once you see you’re on repeat, then you know that you have some underlying things to look at. Now, this doesn’t mean the other party doesn’t have the baggage of their own. All content published on this website is intended for informational purposes only. If you’re looking for ways to process your emotions, I share 50 questions that will help you do that here. You expect the worst in most situations and push others away from you in order to avoid being hurt again. Emotional Baggage Check: As a sensitive person, a regular emotional baggage check is a good idea. Yes, get help, and soon. This could put two of your values at war with each other: your need for survival (money) and your need to have moral integrity. That's all we have for you as far as signs go but know that if your girl displays many or most of these you're dealing with an unpredictable woman and most likely, one with a ton of emotional baggage. ... where it sits accumulating emotional dust. Untreated victims of any kind of abuse are often emotionally unstable and harbor lots of inner pain, which manifests itself in their romantic lives. I pushed it away for a while, but eventually I knew I had to address all my pent up emotions about it. We have to unpack each item and take a close look at it. Did I have deeper reasons that I was dating lukewarm dudes? Reasons to Release and Let Go! I have just discarded most of my baggage. For me, I dated guys that had a similar pattern: they showed a lot less interest in me than I showed in them. Emotional baggage may stem from a betrayal in a previous romantic relationship. The symptoms of emotional baggage Being unable to let go of sadness; crying for no apparent reason. Sometimes really bad things happen in the past to people. For the most part, staying calm is pretty easy, but if you are carrying emotional baggage, eventually, there will be an outburst of some kind. Learn how not to repeat the same patterns.