10 Tips for Unpacking Your "Baggage" - Tip #1

Ahhh the holidays...the time of year when you're visiting with loved ones, stressing about the fact that the year is almost over and you didn't do what you said you were going to do, eating like you have a tapeworm and of course (for some of you single peeps) wishing you had a special someone. Last year I wrote a post on getting your Baggage Down to Carry-On Size. Several of you asked me to provide some tips on how to do it. So with ten days left in 2008, I figured I'd give you my 10 Tips for Unpacking Your Baggage before 2009 rolls in. Hey, you could spend your holidays eating fruit cake or working on building a better you. I vote for the latter. I'll write about one tip per day so make sure you check back!

Tip #1: Get Feedback
One thing we don't often do is ask the people we have been in a relationship with for feedback. Your significant other, past or present, gets to see you in a light that others may not ever see. So if you're serious about unpacking your baggage and being a "better" you, then what better place to start than with some good ol' honest feedback. Caution, when you ask for the feedback, be prepared that it might sting. Your job in that moment is simply to understand where they are coming from. There will be time to evaluate the information later. For now, just listen and ask questions for clarification. If you're single, try to get feedback from at least three people you have dated. If you're in a relationship, try to get as much honest feedback from your partner as possible. We'll talk about what to do with this feedback in my next tip.