Leave The Past Behind You
Your past is not your present, unless you choose to bring it into your boardroom or bedroom. Let the ghosts of the past rest where they belong- in history.
Change is possible, but only if you loosen the grip on the past. Most don’t even realize what “tense” they live in past, present or future.
Growth happens when you become present to the moment. It is not easy, it takes years of practice to get the point of becoming aware of your thoughts.
Holding onto past pain and resentments can wreak havoc with your mind and body.
If things in your personal or professional life aren’t working its important to introspect. The past has ways of manifesting as ailments.
Once you see the burden commit to working through it consciously.
The below steps will help you:
1. Commit to letting go of your past- Once you have recognized that you have an issue use your words to make an affirmation that you want to let go. Prop it up with faith and power behind it.
2. Take stock of emotions- Make a note of what is annoying you. The note doesn’t have to make sense to you, it can be a random mind map where you just spew words. Eventually, an inventory will emerge. You want to make sure that you are putting together a lot of different elements to assess the things that you need to let go. If you don’t know what you want to let go, then you will never let things go. Once the list of feelings emerges, atleast you will know what you are letting go off.
3. Give up the pity party- Stop identify with being the wronged party. Not only do most of us live in the past but we also identify with being the victim. This narrative is very damaging and debilitating. It starts from a place of weakness. When you give up the victim narrative, you will be released from your history.
4. Forgive people who have wronged you- There are always three versions of what happened, one what you think it was, one what the other person thinks it was and the third is the truth.
Seldom do we see an unbiased view. In any event, if you believe that you were right and you were wronged, forgive those people. More importantly, forgive your self.
5. Visit your reflection- this might sound strange, but conversations with yourself are very empowering. Be loving in how you address yourself. Be grateful to yourself, tell your self that you love and approve of yourself. Consciously invite positive thoughts. It takes immense practice. In such a place past can not reside. You will be shocked at what your reflection will tell you.
6. Be in the now- consciously work on living in the moment. Meditate daily, to slow your mind down. In the face of adversity that will be your best friend. It will help you be mindful of when your thoughts veer towards the past or future.
7. Look for substitutes- When we move away from something or someone there will be a void which keeps dragging us back to the past. Look to fill that void with positive things. Music, art, dance, and socialising are great options.
8. Philanthropy- Give back to others. When you volunteer your thoughts and feelings get diverted towards more meaningful things. The joy that you will derive from the engagement will over time make you overcome the shackles of the past. There will be no place for bitterness or anger.
It takes years to get present. No one ever masters it quite completely, but every now and then when you work on yourself the magic of “now” will surprise you.
