Letting go of the past is breaking free from what was. It’s breaking a free from a cycle to move forward from dwelling on what you used to have and moving on to something new. Finding yourself stuck in the past is a part of being human. We aren’t perfect and make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes haunt us for days, months, and even years. Let’s explore what drives us to get stuck in the past and ways we can move forward.
Why do we get stuck in the past?
It’s not uncommon to find yourself getting stuck in the past. Many of us find ourselves tossing and turning over things that happened years ago. When it comes to getting stuck in the past, it boils down to our need for certainty and survival. We all want to feel certain. Of we try something new, we want to feel certain that things will work out. When it comes to the past we want to feel certain that we can pain and find comfort.
When letting go of the past, we are stepping away from certainty, and stepping into the unknown, Letting of the past is letting go of what is familiar and embracing what’s to come.
Here are a few tips to shift your focus from the past and focus on the future and change.
Changing your focus
To steps forward, you first have to acknowledge what’s holding you back. Take time to write down the things that are holding you back, and why you have to let them go. Otherwise, you’ll stay suck in the past. Is it a relationship, a bad habit, or an event from the past? For example, if it’s an event from the past it may be holding you back from achieving your goals. The event has put you in a box that you’re afraid to step outside of it and try something new.
Once you’ve identified the things that are holding you back, it’s time to shift your focus from what was to what’s next. Take time to journal about how your life will change once you let go and your feeling about it. In doing this you’ll gain a sense of purpose which will help you establish your goals. In the long run, it’ll help you stay committed to letting of the past. Your purpose will be a driving force in helping you stay committed to letting go of the past and moving forward.
Changing Habits
What we do and the way we think affect our quality of life. It’s important to examine habits and thinking patterns and make changes. Otherwise, life is happening to you and not for you. You’re not building the type of life you’d like to live, instead, you’re participating. Take control of your story by being careful of what you let. Be mindful of the people you allow into your life and the media you consume. Feed your mind with positivity, knowledge, and people who make you want to better yourself.
Focus on what you can Control
We can’t control how other people feel or act, we can only control ourselves. Circumstances aren’t a result of a mysterious force, it’s our own actions that result in bad situations. We have the ability to turn a negative into a positive, or turn failures into lessons. It starts with accepting that the only thing we can control in life is our own actions and decisions. You’re past isn’t your future and each day is an opportunity to start over.
Life doesn’t come with a manual, there’s no right or wrong. We do the best with what we have, and sometimes things don’t turn out the way we’d like. One bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life that is ruined and can never be fixed. It means that you’re human, we are all a work in progress. Learning and growing from experiences. Don’t let past experiences hold you back from creating the life that you deserve. Take control and use them as a way to push you forward.
Related post: 6 Effective ways to let go and Move on
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