What Are You Still Carrying That Isn’t Yours?

What if the weight slowing you down doesn’t belong to you

I grew up surrounded by nature—five acres on a Minnesota tree farm surrounded by open land. It was there, away from the noise of people, that I first found peace. Nature became my sanctuary, my church, where I felt closest to God. I’d spend hours outside, lost in thought, reflecting, dreaming, becoming.

Even now, as an adult, I return to the woods. I walk, I listen, I think, and I do. Some call it active meditation—I call it connecting with God and remembering who I am.

I always carry a bright orange day pack. Inside—water, an apple, my journal, and wildflower seeds to scatter along the way. I chose orange so I could always find it, no matter where I set it down. But on my hikes, I often come across something else—trash left behind by others. Empty water bottles, crumpled chip bags, and discarded pieces of what once sustained someone are now abandoned for someone else to deal with. I pick them up. Not because I have to but because I choose to.

Because leaving behind what no longer serves us isn’t just a physical act—it’s a metaphor for how we move through life.

The Trash We Carry Isn’t Always Our Own

Trauma, old wounds, and limiting beliefs are like the trash in my day pack. I didn’t ask for them. I didn’t create them. Yet, I picked them up along the way—just like we all do.

Some of these beliefs were handed to me as a child. They were meant to protect me back then, but they became weights instead of wisdom as I grew. Protective behaviors that once kept me safe now keep me small. Negative emotions that once made sense now keep me stuck.

And just like carrying someone else’s trash on a hike, carrying these old patterns isn’t my burden to bear.

What’s in Your Day Pack?

I wonder… do we all start life with an empty day pack? And as we walk our path, do we unknowingly pick up the emotional trash of others?

Some days, it’s just a little—subtle doubts, whispers of self-judgment, inherited fears. Other days, it’s heavy—the weight of expectations, past hurts, or someone else’s version of who we should be. And over time, that weight shapes how we see ourselves. We mistake the baggage for our identity.

But here’s the truth: Your authentic self isn’t buried beneath the weight of other people’s fears, failures, and projections. It’s still there—waiting.

And unless you choose to empty your day pack, to release what doesn’t belong to you, you’ll keep carrying burdens that were never yours to begin with.

The Power of Letting Go

We must become aware of those who offload their weight onto us, whether out of convenience, expectation, or manipulation. Some people hand us their doubts so they don’t have to carry them. Others push their fears into our pack to control our path—to keep us preoccupied while they move freely.

But here’s the thing: You don’t have to carry what isn’t yours.

What you believe about yourself, your resilience, and your worth isn’t defined by the limitations others have placed on you. You get to unpack. You get to decide. You get to walk forward, lighter, freer, and fully you.

What limiting belief do you have that, if you flipped the coin, would show an empowering belief that serves you better?

So the question is—what are you ready to leave behind?

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