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Why be ruled by the past?
Why be ruled by the past?
Detach From Past Negative Experiences
“To get over the past, you first have to accept that the past is over. No matter how many times you revisit it, analyze it, regret it, or sweat it…it’s over. It can hurt you no more.” ― Mandy Hale,
How long do you carry the past with you?
Do you still squirm when you think about some past faux pas and the way you believed others would judge you for it?
Are you still fuming at your ex three years after they ran off with someone else?
Do you simply regurgitate past hurts and offences?
As they say, “Pain is guaranteed, but suffering is optional.”
These experiences are painful, but part of life.
But suffering for years is your own doing.
You have to do certain things to continue to feel bad about experiences that happened years ago. It’s definitely a skill, just not a productive one.
Letting go of the past allows for more possibilities in the future:
“Letting yesterday affect today will only destroy the excitement of tomorrow.” ― Michelle Cruz-Rosado
Here's some things you can do
Avoid rehashing the past.
The best way to allow a negative past experience to encroach on your present or future is to spend time thinking about it. You might try to convince yourself that playing the incident over and over in your mind is cathartic or educational. It’s not. Learn what you can immediately after the negative experience and then move on. The more mental energy you give to the past, the more it impacts the remainder of your life.
Create new memories.
An effective way to unseat old memories is to create new memories. If you want to get over your ex, find someone new. Be active with your life. Join a club, make new friends, spend time doing something new. Make your new experiences so positive that the new memories overpower the old, past memories.
Make a conscious decision to let go of your past.
Proclaim your intention to yourself. Whatever you’re doing isn’t working. Make a decision to do something about the challenge you’re facing.
Make plans.
Make a few plans for your future. Have something exciting ahead of you that prevents you from looking behind. A compelling future can be the best medicine for a messy past. What would you like to do in the next year?
Spend more time in the present moment.
Mindfulness has been touted as a panacea for nearly every psychological condition under the sun. It’s like the fish oil capsule of the mental health crowd. Dealing with the past is an ideal application for mindfulness.
Mindfulness is simple, but not easy. For this purpose, simply pay attention to your environment and your current activity. If you’re walking your dog, you’re paying attention to what you see. Your thoughts aren’t on your ex-husband, the broken hot-water heater, or the report that’s due tomorrow.
Mindfulness takes a lot of practice to do well, but the time is well-spent. Avoid blaming others. Blaming is convenient. You let yourself off the hook for any responsibility in the matter. The animosity you feel toward others regarding your past keeps the past fresh in your mind. Forgive everyone involved and let go of your negative feelings. The past can then move further into the past.
Seek out peace.
When you’re upset about the past, seek peace in your body. Breathe slowly and deeply. Allow the past to flow out of your body with each breath. Keep going until the negative feeling is gone. When you can think about the past and feel peaceful, you’re no longer under its spell.
Are you suffering because of the past?
Why?
Why are you treating yourself that way?
Some things in life don’t work out, but that doesn’t mean they have to influence the rest of your life.
Forgive those that have wronged you in the past.
Forgive yourself.
Look forward to the future and see the exciting things that can lie ahead.
“Is your life story the truth? Yes, the chronological events are true. Is it the whole truth? No, you see and judge it through your conditioned eyes and mind - not of all involved - nor do you see the entire overview. Is it nothing but the truth? No, you select, share, delete, distort, subtract, assume and add what you want, need and choose to.” ― Rasheed Ogunlaru
https://youtu.be/tqeGlvIfOvM
Have a think on this too....
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This article might also help you think more clearly
https://www.alanjones.blog/are-you-failing-to-take-ownership-of-your-life/