haha a zombie invasion? You came to the right place there! Just ask Rob, he was one of the zombies after all
Everyone carries lots of baggage, I think what helped me with all the baggage I carry/carried about is realising why I was carrying it- often to punish myself. I always looked to aportion blame for not getting what I wanted- from relationships, my aspirations etc. because I held these things as objective beliefs, rather than realising that they were subjective; that they were whatever I wanted to make them.
I had grown so used to wanting these things I could never attain, that is to say expecting objective truths out of a subjective world and expecting all my answers and dreams to come from outside, that I blamed myself.
That's why I did/do the same thing- I remember all the bad stuff I've done, and I use it to hit myself over the head with. I actually became exceedingly good at it, because like all things it develops and gets better the more you do it.
Firstly I had to realise that I was doing it, that the reason I felt bad and wouldn't let things go was to punish myself. Then I asked, what am I punishing myself for... really? In an objective sense, why am I punishing myself? And finally, I realised that punishing myself was preventing me from doing what I am capable of.
It took great courage to admit some home truths about myself... which were positive. All good things. I just didn't believe them. Then I started to think that maybe I didn't deserve to punish myself, afterall.
Why am I rattling on about this?
Well I thought it might help... because we all do these things. But so few people ever seem to sit down and think 'why?' If we understand why we're upset, then we can maybe start to learn to deal with it.
To complete my book of great quotes, a wise man once told me:
"All we have of other people are our illusions, and all we ask of other people is that they let us keep them."
I think its very true- I don't think I will ever truly know a person (including myself I think) I only ever see an image of that person filtered through my perceptions. I make objective truths out of that, and make plans and fantasies for the future... I try to live the present to manipulate the world to bringing that future about... then when it doesn't work out that way, I feel grief.
It doesn't stop me doing it- but I learn to recognise when I'm doing it and stop. Maybe in time I'll learn not to do it... maybe not.
Wanting these objectives and fantasies will, in the end, only make us unhappy... if we live for today and do our best in all ways then in the end we'll be happy, I think
I've purposely not made direct reference to your situation there, as that is definitely not my place to do so

Just some of the things I've thought about a lot over the last few months, which seemed like such an uphill struggle going nowhere... and then suddenly it all seemed to come far sharper into focus. There might be some words of comfort there for you, and maybe a little hope
The world we see is filtered through our own senses... we never see what's truly out there. Realising that what we see and feel is all in our own heads I don't think is clinical as such... in a sense I think it makes the world we live in and the time spent with those we love more precious- realising that it will not last forever (in the final analysis, all things are transient) and accepting it all for what it is.
I'm sure some wise person at some point must have said something along the lines of-
No journey ever ended without beginning another.
One journey might have ended, but you're at the beginning of the next... and maybe it will be just as or perhaps even more wonderful than the last one!
And that is an encouraging thought
I'm very very glad to be able to offer some support back, for all the times I've come here with my crap looking for a shoulder to cry on. Everyone here is the absolute best
