Escape Your Shadow: Learning to Break Free From Your Past
Escaping Your Shadow
Learning to Break Free From Your Past
We can feel bound by what we used to be. Sometimes, we relapse into old frames of mind. Whether this is in part due to addiction, or the fact that we are still treated like kids by our parents, despite having flown the nest decades ago, it can prove difficult to break free from what your life script used to be. What does it take to leave the past behind?
Gain Respect for Your Past Mistakes
One of the fundamental tenets of therapy is learning to face the past. Rather than fleeing, we can learn how to tolerate uncomfortable feelings. Because we tend to view mistakes as negatives, rather than lessons, it's important to look back at what we have done and respect ourselves for making these mistakes when we did. The fact is that now you have got the time to make things right. While you may feel embarrassed about something you did, it's about using this as an opportunity to take a step in the right direction. By making certain mistakes in life, it has made you into a different person. You should celebrate the fact that you've learned these lessons and can pay that knowledge forward.
Use the Present, Not the Past
Using your past to stop yourself from doing things in the present is a very common issue. But we can run the risk of completely overwhelming our present life by staying in the past. The fact of the matter is that you could spend time worrying about what you should have done differently, but this is purely dwelling on the past. And by dwelling on the past, you are not respecting your present. If you focus on the past, you won't be happy where you are right now.
Learn To Forgive Yourself for Your Past Mistakes
We make mistakes, and for many people, the mistakes we make are how we define ourselves. But mistakes do not define you; the mistakes have made you who you are. We should use our mistakes as opportunities to discover. But in addition to this, we have to learn to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we made. We can stay stuck in a certain frame of mind, either by not forgiving others for what they did in the past or not letting go of something that we've done a long time ago. It's not about forgetting it, but it's about addressing what you've done, and truly looking at how you have learned from it. Only then can you forgive yourself. Forgiving yourself or others can benefit you. It doesn't benefit anybody else in the same way. As long as you learn to let go, you can live a better life.
When you break free from the past, you might realize that every day is a brand new day to start over. And when we start to think about things that happened in the past, and they consume us, it stops us from being who we are right now. When you are fully present, it is impossible to simultaneously worry about the future or fret about the past. Try it. And free yourself.