Negative thoughts, be damned!

Hello and Happy Hump-day, as they say at work.
First off, thank you Dock and Alice for your words of wisdom and advice. I really do appreciate it. And now, on with the show.
I have come to believe that each week in our lives, if not individual days, provides a lesson to be learned. Sometimes quite blatant- like everything at work has gone wrong and you wish you could just scream. Or they can be rather oblique, never being noticed until days,weeks or months later. So I do my best every week to try and recognize a specific theme that has entered my daily routine. (Sometimes they arrive indirectly via someone else's complaint.)
This week's lesson, Holding on to unnecessary baggage. I think we all do this, I know I do. In some ways, this baggage can be like a a safety net. A young woman I know is in a drama-filled relationship. They're still together, but it is not the first time the same problem has occurred. I wanted to help with kind words, but the first thought I had was, "Am I holding on to something I probably could do without?" I think for me, I am holding on to much of the negativity in my past. The mistakes I made, the less traveled roads the resulted in a cul-de-sac or dead end. It's a double-edged sword because without those moments, I would never have learned, but at the same time, I find it hard to forgive myself and let go. But I am trying. A few years ago, I wouldn't have joined this group because I wouldn't have been able to carry all my luggage. I've managed to dwindle it down to a tote and carry-on. I am working my way to a fanny pack.
So, negative thoughts, be damned! It's positivity from here on out. I will improve and I will finish that marathon.
Unfortunately I won't see you this weekend. I have drill with my Reserve unit, but I'll see all of you next weekend. Take care and wog for me a little!
Michelle