Holidays are a great opportunity to relax and unwind, but the thought of packing a suitcase often left me feeling the complete opposite. Over the years I’ve noticed how I had built a level of anxiousness over what to pack and this left me feeling overwhelmed or burdened by the task.
A number of questions would rattle me, including:
- How much do I pack?
- What is the weather going to be like?
- Have I packed enough warm and cooler clothing?
- What if I can’t buy the same things in the place that I am visiting?
- What if I pack too much and the luggage exceeds the weight allowance at the airport?
- What will I wear to make me ‘fit in’ with the other people I am travelling with?
- What if I choose the wrong clothes and they won’t have my size to purchase more?
- Do I have enough toiletries and do I pack extra for others that may forget?
With time, I noticed that I had become accustomed to feeling this way and noticed how much this overwhelm would start to consume me weeks before I was heading off.
In many situations I would start to plan outfits in my head and organise mini “to do lists” to make sure everything was packed and that I didn’t miss a thing. This even affected my sleep and I would often dream I was at the airport catching a flight and had either forgotten to pack or, even worse, left my passport at home.
This changed when I recently became inspired by the work presented by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine on appreciation being the key ingredient in building a solid foundation upon which to base all aspects of my life. I knew that I had developed a solid foundation that supported me in my day, but I was missing the glue that held this all together – APPRECIATION!
Over the past month I have worked on developing an appreciation of the smallest parts of my foundation; from the quality of the time I take to moisturise my hands each day, to drinking water regularly to keep myself hydrated. I realised that my suitcase packing is a simple task that can be done as part of my day, no different to my morning routine that included showering, dressing and eating.
As I planned for a recent trip, I stopped and asked myself a few questions before I even attempted to place the first item in the suitcase:
How much do I really need to support me on this trip?
- Am I choosing clothes that I feel to wear – or what I think others would like to see me wear?
- Am I appreciating the care and detail I take into packing?
- Can I ring a travel buddy and ask if we can share items such as hairdryers etc., to avoid doubling up?
- Is the trip about ‘impressing’ others or ‘just being me’ with others?
- Is what is in the suitcase coming from my own choice to feel what is needed to support me?
What I discovered with the packing process this time was:
- As I packed each garment I appreciated how great this felt on my body.
- I chose shoes that were not based on how well they matched my outfit, but on how comfortable they felt on my feet.
- I selected clothes that I knew from experience kept me warm in winter and cooler in the summer months.
- I packed toiletries that I use each day, so this was already part of my foundation.
- I packed colours that I felt to wear, not what I thought would suit the places I was travelling to.
What seemed to be a hard and overwhelming task became so simple when I chose to appreciate myself even more and simply placed these items in my suitcase.
Building a foundation of appreciation has been the way in which I have chosen to heal a lot of the anxiousness, not only in packing a suitcase, but in many other aspects of my life. The feeling of it being a burden, the list writing and the worry about not getting things right are no longer part of my daily routine.
Learning to live from my foundation of appreciation and bringing this to my work, chores and all the other areas of my life has removed the anxiousness and given me more space to enjoy the opportunities that are on offer.
With this appreciation, anything is possible as it reminds me that anytime I may wobble or have self-doubt, I can return to the simplicity of the foundations I have laid down.
With deep thanks and appreciation to Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, for showing me there is another way to live that supports us all to build more of who we are, and remove the overwhelm and anxiousness that can be fed to us when we choose not to appreciate our inner knowingness.
By Anonymous
Further Reading:
Appreciation – A Pathway To Love
Appreciation, Appreciation, Appreciation
What Is The Science of Appreciation and How Does It evolve All of Our Relationships.
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
It’s great to read this as I’m about to go away for a few days and packing is something that can consume me in the same way.
Years ago my travelling was with a back pack and it was so interesting, I became used to going without things and living with the simplicity of things. Roll on years later, I love the fact that packing is in the appreciation of everything that is packed into a suitcase, how supportive does that feel. It’s a whole new way of travelling and you can feel the burden already lifted. Pack according to how each item feels for the body…
Appreciation is the foundation of deeper appreciation of who we are.
In that appreciation more is revealed unto us…
Over the last few years, I have done a lot of travel and I now find that packing my suitcase has become so much more easy – partly from having had to do it so many times, but also partly to do with what has been shared in this blog (dropping the need to have an image or look a certain way when one travels etc). Any situation in life is really an opportunity offered to grow and evolve.
Worrying about things is a convenient way to not enjoy the moment and all it brings, This is also something I can very much relate to as I have always been a good ‘worrier’ but the more I learn about how much I am missing out on really living life when I worry, and the more I get to feel how this is a game to distract me from actually living life, then the less I am inclined to do it.
When we live in a way that is trying to control the outcome, though we might be very successful functionally and thinking of all the details, we miss out on the larger picture and the vastness of being. This is something I still struggle with on a daily basis – I find myself managing life and juggling life so well but then forgetting to allow expression of the deeper quality that lies within. This is a game changer indeed to come from that deeper part rather than the control and management.
Appreciation supports us in ways like building a strong foundation from which we can go out and live our lives.
There is so much in our lives to appreciate, even the simple daily choices to look after ourselves, ‘ I have worked on developing an appreciation of the smallest parts of my foundation; from the quality of the time I take to moisturise my hands each day, to drinking water regularly to keep myself hydrated.’
Everything is everything so of course the care and detail in which we pack to go on holiday, prepare to go to work or anything is so important, something I am forever learning and changing as I know I can bring far much more love, simplicity and clarity to all I do. Also I am far more aware of not only packing for when we go but cleaning/clearing our home as when we return if we come back to a fresh and clear space this is super supportive for us.
Life without understanding our essences, or our “inner knowingness”, is definitely lacking the bones of what True-appreciation is all about, so deepening our sensitivities and intimacy (not sexual) as we can never have appreciation without True-intimacy (letting people-in). In this wisdom we can deepen our relationships in the most glorious ways and to Truly Appreciate is the “glue” between the moments of glory, or a Deep-humble-appreciate-ive-ness is sustaining our connection to our divine “inner knowingness”, by letting everyone in, in the most open and trans-parent ways.
Thanks for your blog, as I was reading I felt how the appreciation highlights all the wonderful things we are and are developing, and it magnifies these and supports us to feel held in our own love, and without that we are more vulnerable to all that is not love, the self doubt, anxiousness, etc.
So we just need to pack light, and leave as much space as possible to fit all that appreciation in!
I love this playful simple comment.
I’m away from home at the moment so just went through the packing experience a few days ago. How I pack has definitely changed over time from what I’ve learnt from how I am each time but there is still the anxiousness of what to pack. I’ve come away again feeling like I’ve packed to much, do these questions will be great for next time. I feel bogged down by packing to impress and it reflects in the weight of my bag! I sense a feeling of space by packing for what I feel to wear.
Wow – appreciation is one of my definite weaknesses – but what I take from your blog is that appreciation can completely change the way you do something, even something as simple as packing a suitcase. Thank you you have provided much food for thought..
And a valuable reminder to keep appreciating.
Beautifully said Meg, Appreciation is a key ingredient in life that helps us to really embrace each step and interestingly many of us struggle with appreciation. So the real lesson here to is make sure that the first item packed in the suitcase is ‘appreciation’.
I’ve just discovered the joy of travelling light and packing only what is needed and loved.
It is beautiful to bring appreciation to every ares of our life and discover that every task has a purpose, including packing a suitcase.
The more aware we become the more we know instinctively what to pack.
Appreciation is the glue that keeps us living in harmony with each other.
It is just another day every day where ever we go no different than the one before so why should we need to impress others by our clothes when we are on a trip?
Understanding what we truly need to support us, This is the thing and can be reflected upon in all parts of our life
What I love about this is how no part of our life is different/separate from the rest as it is all built on one same foundation, and simplicity returns when we can see it all as one life.
Packing a suitcase is something real. But is also symbolic of the fact that we always bring a package of our choice in our journeys. This is what we use to dress what we call us.
Thank you for the reminder of appreciation. When I do pack bags wanting it to be perfect there is this strain and tension that I feel in my body but when there is appreciation this is different, it feels more nurturing and tender in my body.
Bringing appreciation and purpose to every task makes so much sense.
Frantically looking outside of ourselves looking for acceptance and trying to ‘fit in’ is fraught with anxiety and stress and a very exhausting way to live. The only way to travel through life is in connection with the deep knowing of who we truly are and where we are truly heading.
To be in true appreciation of ourselves anything we do in life is then imprinted with this loving quality, plus the bonus is the powerful ripple affect that naturally occurs when we make this truth part of our normal every day.
It is very common for people to pack more than they need. Or forget something. I see it a lot and have done it myself. This blog allows me to appreciate that there can be a quality we have with packing that can support us to pack what is needed, with a knowing that we don’t have to do this off pictures of lists but off what will truly support us.
And its surprising to see how little we need when we make sure we take all of ourselves as the priority.
Great comment Simon, how easily we make life about what’s outside of ourselves and not who we are and bringing our All to life and to whoever we are to meet. In this I can see how self appreciation can help eliminate anxiousness because our focus is returned to ourselves.
‘Learning to live from my foundation of appreciation and bringing this to my work, chores and all the other areas of my life has removed the anxiousness’. Thank you Anon for these words, on the power of appreciation to remove the anxiousness I feel in my body at times.
Well highlighted Jill – a great anti-dote for anxiousness is appreciation.
I am really looking forward to traveling again after reading this very practical and supportive blog. I have been one to spend ages trying to figure out what to take and, in the process, making myself a tad stressed. Not a great way to begin any trip. But now I have your lived experience as a marker so when I next pack my suitcase I will create a new marker of packing with appreciation, for myself.
I remember getting a tongue in cheek excess luggage award when I went away for one sports weekend because I was notorious for over packing. It’s interesting what comes up for you when you are preparing to go away from home (and out of your comfort zone) and want to be prepared and have what you need without over doing it. When I do go away I do pack lighter now but I would not say lightly.
Each time I go away from home and need to pack so much comes up. I get sad about leaving my comfort zone and having everything just as I need it. I divorce myself from the fact that wherever I go I can be with myself which supports myself most of all.
Yes, I still like to take things so I am prepared for what I may need, but would in another sense like to be able to pack lighter.
Its true, if your failing to appreciate what’s on offer in every moment, you will be open to anything else that has been your way before that appreciation was developed.
When you pack your suitcase with you before a trip then you are there with you when you arrive at your destination and unpack.
I like this Mary, very simple!
I love this Mary, and it can be applied to every part of life in all we do.
Anonymous, this is very lovely to read and makes me realise how important appreciation is and to build it into my daily life; ‘Building a foundation of appreciation has been the way in which I have chosen to heal a lot of the anxiousness, not only in packing a suitcase, but in many other aspects of my life.’
A great blog for me to read today Anonymous as I am about to pack my bags for a short vacation, it is very common for me to become anxious about what to pack, how will the weather be etc, It is interesting that appreciation is a part of it all, when I appreciate what supports me and nurtures me that makes all the difference.
Being currently overseas on a continent I have never visited before it was an interesting process choosing what to pack and what I have appreciated since I have been here is how much I packed what I felt impulsed to take (even if it seemed a bit crazy) and how although there are a couple of things that I didn’t bring because I told myself they were unnecessary which would actually have been useful I can simply take that as a learning for future trips.
‘Building a foundation of appreciation has been the way in which I have chosen to heal a lot of the anxiousness’ it is so true when we take the time to appreciate how we are supporting ourselves then there is no space for anxiousness to come in and derail us.
The same action (e.g., packing up for travelling) may be the result of a different movement, hence can be done in a different quality. The movement we are in is what impulses our further movements. That is why even if we end up packing up the same clothing despite the quality we are in, what we carry with is different if it was done in one quality or another and will affect our next movements. So, we can set ourselves up for expansion or for complications. Packing up is not just packing up, but choosing what quality will impulse our movements in our destination.
Beautifully said Eduardo…..We are free to not only choose the quality but also deepen that quality in every moment. how awesome is that.
This is a gorgeous blog that shows the importance and value of appreciation being in all parts of our lives, and fundamental in building ourselves a strong foundation, ‘appreciation being the key ingredient in building a solid foundation upon which to base all aspects of my life.’
I love Heather’s comment above, what a beautiful and inspirational metaphor for life, traveling light shows her ‘ how to live with what is needed, what is loved, and what takes care of me and all those I am in contact with.’
Traveling light is a metaphor for life for me, it shows me how to live with what is needed, what is loved, and what takes care of me and all those I am in contact with.
Appreciation and more appreciation seems to resolve and help so many problems we have had in our lives, it is quite amazing.
OMG. How amazing is it to just stop and consider what would be supportive for yourself? I am awesome at going into overdrive, overwhelm, overdrama etc etc. But when I make the choice to do it differently, my golly gosh is life suddenly so much simpler! The question for me is why on earth do I need make that choice everytime. It’s a work in progress in changing my default settings.
I am choosing to bring appreciation into all aspects of my life more and more, and I’m starting to enjoy it, ‘Building a foundation of appreciation has been the way in which I have chosen to heal a lot of the anxiousness, not only in packing a suitcase, but in many other aspects of my life.’
As a travel agent I love this question. 🙂 Packing can cause anxiety as we are stepping out of our comfort zone and the safety of our home where we have everything we’ll need, or if not we know how to access it – we feel safe. But it’s a great time to ponder whether it is our things that make us feel safe and secure or something much deeper – our connection to ourselves.
“Learning to live from my foundation of appreciation and bringing this to my work, chores and all the other areas of my life has removed the anxiousness and given me more space to enjoy the opportunities that are on offer.” Appreciating even the small things in life can bring much bigger changes than one might realise at the outset. One of the biggest things I appreciate in my life is my finding – and staying with – Universal Medicine. The impact this has had on my life is profound.
I can truly start to appreciate that when I remain present with myself in the moment I can connect with and feel what is needed for the coming day not in anxiety but from a knowing and felt sense.
Packing a suitcase to go away reveals a lot about how we are living on a daily basis – do I actually like the clothes I am taking? Are they good enough? And if,for example, they are not good enough – why wear them at all, why have them in my wardrobe?
Having read your comment I am realising more and more when I feel not to take a certain item away with me, that I haven’t worn that certain garment in years I am now questioning why that is still in my wardrobe too. Time for a de-clutter methinks.
Us humans like to make things difficult so we can solve the problems… but there is a simple way to live and one that doesn’t create problems in the first place.