Don’t Let Your Past Define Your Present or Future

Be happy they say. Don’t dwell on the past they say. Be positive they say. We’ve all heard these and they’re not lies. The reality is this: it’s easier said than done and that’s perfectly fine, but it is possible.

I’m starting off with what happened earlier today and then break down the concept.

I went to the mechanic today with title in hand to sell my car, pretty much it’s worth nothing with a blown engine. I was there before the shop opened to get my things out of it. It was full of camping, kayaking, dog stuff and a few random things. I was excited because I was able to get the car rack off of it. I didn’t install it, so was happy to figure it out. I had already excepted that I may have to leave it, it I couldn’t figure it out.

When I finished, I hollered in the back to let him know. He came up in a few minutes and said you’re always happy. I’m sure his customers are typically upset because of car problems and we had always talked on the phone.

I told him I’ve had guns held to my head and years of just shittiness. That’s all there, but I don’t have the time to mess with that time. It won’t do any good.

We went on with the paperwork and had ourselves a random heart to heart talk.

Here’s the reality of it all

First of all, if you have kept reading to this in search of the answer, let me say that I don’t know what happened to you, maybe you have been through something terrible and the past holds a lot of pain that you can’t shake off or maybe when you think of the future you’re stuck believing that there were things that you could’ve changed and things would be different.

I’m sorry to tell you, but it doesn’t work that way. I felt that way and that was a reality for me at one point.

Running away from your past will not make it go away.

Running away from your past will not make it go away. The past is a part of you, and it’s a part of your story and identity that cannot be changed or erased. If you try to run away from this, then you are running away from yourself. This is not healthy or advisable in any way! It can lead to depression, anxiety and other psychological problems in the future if left untreated.

The best thing you can do when it comes to dealing with negative emotions like guilt and shame is acknowledging them instead of ignoring them or pretending they don’t exist at all.

If you are not happy with the way things have been in the past, imagine how they can be in the future.

Don’t get sucked into this mind frame. I know that it’s hard when you are low, but to get out of it try to think of the future. Imagine how things can be if you were happy with them.

I’m not saying that it’s easy to change your life, but if we focus on the positive, there is a lot more hope for our futures.

The past can only rule your now if you allow it

The past is the past. It’s gone and can’t be changed, but it does not have to define and rule your present and future.

You only have one life to live, so don’t waste it on worrying about something that has already happened.

If you have learned from your mistakes and made changes in your life as a result of them, then the past has helped to shape who you are today and improved who you will become tomorrow.

Stop looking back and start moving forward

Don’t let the things that have happened to you in the past hold you back from living your best life today and into the future.

Don’t let regrets, failures, or mistakes keep you down. Don’t let them stop you from getting back up and trying again so that one day soon, these negatives will be just a distant memory — only serving as inspiration for what’s possible when we don’t give up on ourselves!

Your future is full of possibilities; don’t waste time worrying about what was or what could have been if only things had turned out differently (I know I am guilty of this one). Instead enjoy each moment as it comes because it’s those moments together with loved ones which make up our lives; not dwelling on how we wish things were different but instead celebrating all that has given us this moment together now!

Remember that however bad things were, however wrong you were treated, life is too short to carry around a heavy load of resentment and heartache

Remember that however bad things were, however wrong you were treated, life is too short to carry around a heavy load of resentment and heartache. Call me an idealist if you want, but I think it’s possible for everyone to live their lives without holding onto from the past. I’m not saying that you have to forget the past, or not have triggers from something traumatic.

It may take some time and effort to let go of your painful memories and move on from them, but it’s worth it in the end. For me there are a few people that I still hate, but I’m not to let their actions make me not live. And there are times, when certain things will spring up, but overall I’m not wallowing in the past situations.

For example: If someone cheated on you ten years ago and that person is still holding on to his or her indiscretion as if nothing happened (ahem), then you’re going to have a hard time letting go yourself because he or she hasn’t done so yet.

However, if you weren’t the one that did the cheating and you are expecting an apology from the person that did the cheating, then you’re not allowing yourself to get through it. Yes the cheating hurt and there’s distrust now. If you are still with said person, then you can’t expect an apology that you’ll never get. If you not with said person and you are still upset about it, in my opinion that’s totally fair, it just means that you haven’t gotten over the emotions of the situation. Now if you are not with said person and you don’t want to be in another relationship because you don’t want that the hurt to happen again, then you are allowing the past to rule your life. I’m not calling it right or wrong, it’s understandable. The reality is that you are allowing the past to rule and determine your life. Harsh to say, perhaps, however it is the truth.

Learn from your mistakes, but don’t let them change your attitude

You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it. That’s why it’s so important to recognize what went wrong and how you can do things differently in the future.

One of my favorite quotes is from JRR Tolkien (yes, I am a nerd), who said “there is no such thing as wasted time.” This means that even though you may feel like you’ve wasted your life because of some bad choices, it doesn’t mean that those choices were totally useless; they might actually have prepared you for something bigger and better down the road.

It’s true that every experience comes with some sort of lesson attached to it—even if that lesson is just learning how not to do something again!

I’ve made plenty of mistakes over my lifetime, but luckily they haven’t stopped me from going after my dreams or trying new things. As long as we keep learning from our mistakes and don’t let them define us or change our attitude towards other people or life itself we will be able to live happily ever after!

don’t dwell on what’s happened, keep moving forward and live Your life

You can’t change the past, but you can change your reaction to it. Many people become stuck in a pattern of thinking that they’ll never be able to live up to their potential or achieve their goals because of what happened in the past. But that’s not true! There are so many things out there waiting for you—you just have to look at them differently and see them as opportunities instead of obstacles. Don’t let your past dictate how you feel about yourself or how you live today.

Don’t let the past define your future. You are not your mistakes, and you have so much to look forward to! You can’t change what has happened in the past, but you can use those experiences to create a better future.