Emotional Baggage — What It Is, and How to Stop Carrying It Around
We’ve all heard the phrase emotional baggage thrown around, right? Maybe you even say it about yourself sometimes — “Yeah, I’ve got a lot of emotional baggage.” But what does it actually mean? And more importantly, how do you stop carrying it around like an invisible, heavy backpack that weighs you down every day?
What is emotional baggage, really?
Think of emotional baggage as unresolved feelings and experiences that pile up over time. They’re the things you didn’t fully process — maybe a difficult childhood memory, a hurtful relationship, or even the small everyday disappointments that you pushed aside because life demanded you to keep moving forward.
The thing is, we often don’t realise we’re carrying this weight. It hides in our bodies, in the way we react to certain situations, or in feelings of anxiety, sadness, or frustration that don’t quite go away.
For me, emotional baggage looked like this: I’d feel overwhelmed by small things, or suddenly get stuck in a loop of negative self-talk. And even when I was “fine” on the outside, I was holding so much inside that I hadn’t faced or healed from yet.
Why do we carry emotional baggage?
A lot of us learned early on that some feelings aren’t safe or welcome. Maybe you were told to “stop crying,” or to “just get over it.” Maybe you didn’t have the tools to understand what you were feeling, so it felt easier to push it down or shove it to the side.
I tend to do this a lot — pushing everything down or to the side so I don’t have to ‘deal with it.’ It’s like pretending the bag isn’t there, even though it’s dragging on the ground behind you.
The problem is, that baggage doesn’t just disappear. It lingers. And it shows up in unexpected ways — a flare-up of anxiety, feeling stuck in certain patterns, or just a general sense of heaviness that’s hard to shake.
How do you know if you’re carrying emotional baggage?
Do you find yourself overreacting to small things?
Do you avoid certain conversations or topics because they bring up discomfort?
Do you have trouble trusting others or feel guarded in relationships?
Do you notice recurring negative beliefs about yourself or your worth?
Do you struggle to be fully present because your mind keeps drifting to “old stuff”?
If you said yes to any of these, it’s a good sign you might be carrying some emotional baggage.
Here’s the thing: You don’t have to carry it forever.
This is where healing begins — by recognising that the weight you’re carrying doesn’t have to define you or your future. The body remembers what the mind sometimes tries to forget. That’s why kinesiology is so powerful — it works with your body’s own wisdom to identify exactly what emotional blocks are ready to be released.
In kinesiology sessions, we gently explore where this baggage lives in your body and nervous system. Sometimes it’s tied to limiting beliefs, other times it’s connected to trauma or anxiety that your body never got a chance to process.
The goal isn’t to force anything or “fix” you — it’s to create space, to listen to your body’s story, and to slowly ease that weight so you can move forward lighter.
What happens when you start to let go?
You feel more freedom in your body and mind.
You notice old triggers losing their power over you.
Your energy shifts — less exhaustion, more ease.
You start showing up more authentically in your relationships and life.
You realise you are capable of healing and growth.
So if you’ve been feeling weighed down or like you’re stuck carrying emotional baggage you didn’t ask for — know that you’re not alone. And there is a way to unpack that load safely, gently, and with support.
If you’re curious about how kinesiology can help you stop carrying that baggage around, I’d love to support you in your healing journey. Together, we can help you release what no longer serves you — so you can finally breathe easier and live lighter.
