The past is the past. The things we have experienced will always be a part of us, but they donβt have to control our future.
In this post, Iβm going to teach you 5 ways to let go of the past so it doesnβt hold you back from living in the present!
Weβve all seen the memes and hashtags with the words βlet it go.β Itβs easy to think of them as just a silly joke, but theyβre helpful in letting go of past hurt. While Iβm not here to lecture you about how important it is for you to forgive yourself or others for their mistakes, I will say that releasing those feelings can be extremely liberating.
So if you find yourself constantly replaying bad memories in your head or being unable to move on from something β whether itβs an argument with your ex-girlfriend or a difficult breakup β then consider these five ways to help let go of the past:
1. Figure out what prevents you from letting go
If you want to let go of the past, itβs helpful to first understand why you are holding on.
Are you afraid of change? If so, what will change in your life if you let go of your past? What do you stand to gain by letting go and embracing change instead?
Are you afraid of being hurt again? If so, what can help reduce risk and increase feelings of safety when letting go of the past and starting over in a new direction? How can friends or family members support the process of healing after experiencing heartbreak or loss?
Are there other fears associated with letting go: fear of failure, fear for the future, fear that others wonβt like you anymore (or maybe even worse: that they will)? These fears might sound silly but often holds you back from making the changes you need in your lives.
2. Accept your past and forgive yourself
Forgive yourself.
Forgiving yourself is essential to moving on, but itβs also a choice. You might feel that you donβt deserve forgiveness or that forgiving someone does not change the past, but both of these thoughts are wrong. Forgiveness is about letting go and accepting your actions, good and bad so that you can start living in the present moment without holding onto what happened in the past.
I have heard people say that they have forgiven someone who hurt them because they felt sorry for them (or some other reason). This is not true forgiveness; rather this may be compassion or empathy for another personβs situationβbut it isnβt forgiving them for their actions toward you or anyone else involved in the incident(s). Forgiveness doesnβt mean condoning bad behavior; instead, it means releasing yourself from guilt and shame over things outside of your control while also freeing up energy previously wasted by dwelling on things that happened long ago to move forward with your life today!
3. Stop looking back
This is the most important thing you can do. In the past, you might have thought about what you did or didnβt do in your childhood and how it affected your life. But now itβs time to stop looking back and start moving forward! You mustnβt be afraid of making mistakes or getting hurt if youβre going to live a happier life. Donβt worry about what other people think of your decisions either. And if there are things from the past that canβt be changed, just leave them behind without thinking about them anymore. This is the only way to finally move on and start living a happier life.
4. Move on by moving forward
Moving on is a choice.
You can let go of the past, but only if you choose to do so. Itβs easy to let the past control your thoughts and actions if youβre not careful, but itβs up to you whether or not you want to move forward with those things in mind. So here are some ways that might help:
Focus on the future. Donβt dwell on what happened yesterday or last year or ten years agoβthink about whatβs going to happen tomorrow instead!
Try new things without fear of failure (or success). Donβt let fear control your life; try something new! Thereβs no shame in failing at something as long as it was worth a shot and taught us something along the way. The same goes for succeedingβ¦you shouldnβt get too confident because there might be another challenge coming around the corner that could knock everything down once again (but hopefully not). This doesnβt mean we shouldnβt be proud of ourselves when we succeed though! We should celebrate our triumphs and feel glad about them every single day! That being saidβ¦
5. Letting go needs action
Letting go is more than just a phrase, itβs an action that you need to apply and work at. Itβs hard because your mind wants to hold on as tightly as possible to the past, but this wonβt help you move forward in your life.
First things first: admitting that you need help letting go of the past is not easy. You may feel embarrassed or ashamed, but those feelings will only keep you stuck if theyβre allowed to stay inside of your head; so donβt let them! They are holding you back from finding happiness in the present moment and life overall.
Remember that letting go is a process and each step gets easier as long as itβs practiced regularly over time until one day all those bad memories are gone forever because they no longer matter anymore! Not being able to let go of something means being stuck with regrets from yesterday which prevent us from moving forward towards our dreams todayβ¦so letβs get rid of those old regrets by starting your journey towards healing today by taking action!
Conclusion
Letting go isnβt easy, but it is necessary. Itβs not about forgetting, nor is it about approval or condoning the actions of others. Itβs not about saying that what happened was okay, or that youβre over it. Letting go means accepting what has happened and moving on with your life. To find happiness, you must learn how to forgive yourself and others; accept what has happened, and release the past so that it no longer defines who you are. You have a bright future ahead of you, and itβs time to start living it.
Cheers,
Christian
Remember: Youβre just one smile away!
TL;DR
5 Ways To Let Go Of The Past:
Figure out what prevents you from letting go
Accept your past and forgive yourself
Stop looking back
Move on by moving forward
Letting go needs action
PS: If youβve found this newsletter helpful, join our MindLeader Community for daily insights on how to live a smarter, healthier and happier life(itβs free):
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