We can all relive past hurts and negative experiences, but why do that when all they usually do is make us unhappy? As much as you might want to forget these events and move on, that’s not always easy to do. Unfortunately, these past mistakes or traumatic experiences can make us have a negative outlook on our future. They can make us lose trust in others, doubt other people and their intentions, and make us afraid of change and new things.
You must always remember, that it is you, and only you, who is most affected negatively by holding on to the pains of the past. This type of behavior can affect your health, your relationships, and everything around you.
There are ways to help you stop living in the past, be happy in the present, and welcome your future with positivity. Here’s how!
Learn to Forgive and Forget
Don’t let your own mistakes or someone else’s mistakes forever affect your life. Learn to forgive yourself and others. Accept your imperfections. You will also avoid disappointment if you do not expect an apology from someone who has hurt you.
It will also be best for your emotional maturity not to go to sleep angry, so initiate a forgive-and-forget attitude and habit with your loved ones. Avoid communication gaps by talking calmly to each other. If you can do this, when tomorrow comes, the surrounding atmosphere is light and happy. It is not filled with leftover emotions destroying the atmosphere.
Although it can be hard to do, it’s impossible to forgive without forgetting, so you have to do both to move on. This way, you can set yourself free from your past hurts and resentments, and lift the burden off your heart.
Think Positive Thoughts and Ignore the Negative
Persistent negative thinking will rob you of your happiness. It is so unproductive. It can make you feel depressed and also make it more difficult for you to forget past traumas that should now be forgotten.
When negative thoughts enter your mind, replace them with positive thoughts. Release your past mistakes or unpleasant experiences and make way for happy new experiences.
Thinking positively will bring positive results, so don’t dwell on the past and produce or keep negative emotions alive. Let them go and create a positive attitude instead.
Stop Feeling Like the Victim
If you continually blame others for your circumstances, you will always see yourself as a victim and harbor grudges. Every time you see them or remember them, you will keep on reliving the difficulties you experienced. You will always see yourself as being taken advantage of and unlucky because your goals in life did not materialize according to your plan.
Maybe you have been careless of your actions and are also partly to blame. We cannot control what will happen to us and things will not always go in our favor. Therefore, move on, stop feeling like the victim, and stop blaming others for your circumstances. Empower yourself by making yourself responsible for your happiness and success.
Be Resilient In the Face of Adversity
Maybe you have been hurt by the wrongdoings of other people, even those that are close to you. You don’t have to keep on suffering because you have the power to stop recalling parts of your past.
Conquer your grief, resentment, trauma, or fears. Practice resilience so that you can recover quickly and find new things to do or make new friends, to shift your attention to worthy activities and people. Be thankful that you have survived and discovered new things that make you happy.
Pay Attention to Your Life Right Now
One of the best ways to stop living in the past is to focus on living in the present. You should accept your past as just a part of your life that has ended, anticipate the future without undue worrying, and pay more attention to today.
Lost time cannot be recovered, so live each day as it comes. Make this present moment count by focusing on yourself and what you are currently doing. Be mindful of the people around you.
Create Positive Memories
Be determined to substitute your negative past with positive memories. Be with people who care for you and make you happy. Learn new skills, and new hobbies, and make new resolutions that will motivate you to be a better person. If you can start doing this you won’t get stuck on living in the past, and you will learn how to happily accept change and embrace new things.
Final Thoughts
Now you have a few tips up your sleeve to help you to stop living in the past and start living in the present. This change will empower you to make good choices, be happy, and achieve goals. Regardless of how light or grave your past mistakes were, resolve to see them as lessons learned or opportunities for self-improvement. Think of yourself as wiser now, so you will not make the same mistakes again.
Don’t dwell on regrets, but instead remind yourself that you have matured and improved. It’s time to move on, let go of the past and embrace new things that you can focus on positively.
