Buckets & Wagons
I love the metaphor of buckets.
Most of us are familiar with the bucket list—the list of things we want to do before we die, filled with dreams and desires that bring us joy. These are the things we actively choose, experiences that make us feel alive.
You probably have your own version of this—a list, or even just ideas, of what fills your life with meaning and excitement. Maybe it’s places you want to visit, projects you’re eager to start, or skills you’ve been dying to master. Over time, we all create our own buckets, filled with the things that make life worth living.
The Baggage We Carry
But there’s another side to this metaphor, one we don't always choose: the emotional baggage we carry. We’ve all heard the phrase “carrying baggage,” and it’s never said in a positive light. Baggage represents the burdens, the unresolved emotions, and the judgments that seem to sneak into our lives, often through no fault of our own.
Maybe you’ve felt it too—how your buckets, once filled with your own dreams and desires, start to weigh heavier. Over time, the opinions, expectations, and emotions of others pile in until your buckets aren’t just filled with joy, but with their junk. Before you know it, you’re no longer carrying a few buckets—you’ve got a whole wagon full of them, dragging behind you wherever you go.
The Heavy Wagon
That’s what happened to me. My buckets—once filled with the excitement of things I wanted to do—became heavy with shame, fear, regret, sadness, anger, and self-doubt. Years of childhood sexual abuse, bullying, difficult relationships, and other people’s expectations weighed me down. Too many people had thrown their burdens into my buckets, and before long, I needed a wagon just to pull it all along.
Maybe you can relate. Maybe your wagon has gotten heavier, packed not just with your own emotions, but with the baggage others have thrown in along the way. We’ve all experienced it—that slow accumulation of other people’s junk, until suddenly, we’re pulling a load we never asked for.
Lightening the Load
At some point, I realized this wagon full of buckets was keeping me stuck. I couldn’t move forward without dragging all that weight behind me. That’s when I decided it was time to sort through each bucket—one by one—and figure out what was mine and what wasn’t.
Using tools I bring to clients, I started to clear out the untruths, the judgments, and the emotional weight that didn’t belong to me. Little by little, I began refilling my buckets with joy, excitement, and the possibilities I wanted for my life.
Maybe it’s time to look at your own buckets, to see what’s inside them. Is your wagon filled with joy, or is it weighed down by burdens that aren’t even yours?
Guarding Your Buckets
It’s a process, but as I learned, once you clear out what doesn’t belong, the load gets lighter. People will always try to throw their junk into your buckets—it’s part of life—but the more aware you are, the easier it becomes to keep your buckets closed or quickly clear out what doesn’t belong.
Now, when I look at my buckets, they’re filled with excitement and potential. And I no longer need a wagon to drag them along. I’ve learned to protect my space, to guard against the negativity that so easily piles up when we’re not paying attention.
What’s in Your Buckets?
How about you? What’s filling your buckets today? Is it time to lighten the load and stop dragging around that wagon?
The more you clear out what isn’t yours, the more space you make for joy, fun, and excitement. And the less you’ll need that wagon.
