Overpacking Woes

I’m a notorious over-packer.

In my younger years, I always tried to cram more into my suitcase than it could possibly hold. No amount of stuffing, sitting on it, or rearranging could fix the inevitable: I had to eliminate something from my packing list.

As I got older and traveled more, I thought the solution was a larger suitcase. And for a while, it seemed to work! I could pack shoes for every outfit, multiple wardrobe choices for each event, and be prepared for any mood or weather change.

But then (maybe you saw this coming), I came up against the weight limit. Every trip again became a challenge of capacity—this time weighing my suitcase and making those tough decisions about what to leave behind.

I could be frustrated all I wanted. I could whine about the airline rules. But limitations are limitations, and my energy was wasted trying to change that reality.

Recently, I realized a valuable lesson from my packing struggles: I have my own personal capacity and weight limitations as well.

I only have so much time, emotional energy, and ability to help others.

And guess what? So do you.

Do you often think you can add just one more thing, one more person, one more responsibility to your life without creating space first?

Are you driven to read more self-help books, listen to more podcasts, or scroll through social media, searching for a solution to alleviate the stress you’ve created by simply not recognizing and honoring your own limitations? (Guilty🙋🏻‍♀️)

“It is what it is.” This is one of my favorite quotes…though I also hate it at times.
It reminds me that sometimes the best path forward is acceptance.

Limitations are what they are. But maybe, just maybe, they are God’s built-in protections to keep us from doing and carrying more than we are meant to.

What are you trying to pack that needs to be left behind? Or what truly needs to come on the trip, and you now need to make intentional space for it?

🌟Do you want to know one of the most beautiful benefits of not overpacking? It’s the space available for those unexpected gifts and souvenirs on our journey that otherwise wouldn’t have made it home with us. This is the good stuff we receive when we honor our limitations and intentionally make room for God’s blessings in our lives!

What is God asking you to either remove or make room for in this season of your life? Have you asked Him lately? If not, give it a go. There is always more peace when we follow His lead!