Unloading Emotional Baggage: Family Friction

December 5, 2021

Sejin Ahn (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

 

What comes to your mind first when thinking about the word “family”?

 

Is it a shelter for you where you can rest and gain fresh energy? Or is it a place you want to escape from? Family seems to have a simple, single definition at first glance. But in reality, it has various connotations that are often very opposite from each other, and its complexity can give individuals heavy emotional baggage.

 

Emotional baggage from family can become a tangled thread you cannot untangle, turning into an unwelcome, lifelong friend. It can impact your journey through life, taking the lead and determining which direction you go, as well as the decisions you make.

 

Even though carrying emotional baggage can be impactful, most people do not even recognize its presence, especially when they are young. Failure to lighten emotional baggage can trap people in a loop of anger, helplessness and regret.

 

One of the very common forms of emotional baggage from family is feeling guilty and full of regret. As this phenomenon becomes more pervasive within our society, having the emotional baggage naturally starts to be treated as normal that is acceptable.

 

Parents design their children’s future, taking care of tons of things from the tiny little parts of life to the biggest ones. People who decide not to take the road their parents carved can feel like betrayers who have abandoned their family, even though they are not.

 

Here are some tips to let go of emotional baggage from family:

 

  1. Ask yourself who you are

To be aware of the emotional issues you face, you should know who you are and where you stand. Be curious about yourself, because the best way to prepare a solution to a problem is knowing the part you play in the process.

 

  1. Learn how to release your negative emotions

Emotional baggage involves various negative feelings – stress, anger, anxiety, sadness, regret and guilt. There are many ways to release your negative feelings. Researching healthy ones that work for you will allow you to not only to gain new, positive energy, but also give you time to refresh your mind and relax.

 

  1. Have conversations with your family

It is important to face problems with family. In modern society, lack of conversation between family members is a serious issue. Without communicating, people don’t know what others think and cannot develop a solution that works for everyone.

 

  1. Do what you want and what makes you happy

The most important part of letting go of the emotional baggage from family is to be yourself. The top priority in your life needs to be yourself. If you find something that makes you happier than ever, go for it and do your best to achieve your dream. Do not let others take control of your life.

 

My name is Sejin Ahn and I was born in South Korea, where I was raised for 20 years. I am a communication major at Simon Fraser University. I love looking at the world from various perspectives!

One thought on “Unloading Emotional Baggage: Family Friction

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GET INVOLVED

At Low Entropy, we believe changing the world starts with changing ourselves.

Founded in 2015, Low Entropy Facilitates conversations that encourage diversity and promote inclusivity.

We understand that life can be confusing at times. It can seem challenging and sometimes you may feel like no one really “gets you.” We offer an opportunity to connect with others who have the capacity to understand you.