If there's one thing I've learned, you must let go of the past experiences dragging you down.
Everybody, and I mean everybody, has shit in their past that's holding them back.
Past relationships. Toxic friendships and used-to-be loved ones. The shame and guilt from mistakes we've made and the negative self-talk that's been there throughout.
LET THAT SHIT GO!
Your happiness, freedom, self-worth, and all that other shit that's so good in this world and can make you feel so full depend on it.
If there's one thing I've learned, you must let go of the past experiences dragging you down.
Everybody, and I mean everybody, has shit in their past that's holding them back.
Past relationships. Toxic friendships and used-to-be loved ones. The shame and guilt from mistakes we've made and the negative self-talk that's been there throughout.
LET THAT SHIT GO!
Your happiness, freedom, self-worth, and all that other shit that's so good in this world and can make you feel so full depend on it.
It's not always easy, but it's so worth it when you finally let go of that shit. You feel lighter, freer, and like you can actually breathe again.
You can actually be free.
How Does the Past Hold You Back?
There are a few different ways that the past can hold you back.
Maybe it's an experience, like a bad relationship, that left you feeling heartbroken and jaded. Maybe it's something from your childhood, like abuse or neglect, that made you feel unworthy and undeserving of love. Whatever it is, it's important to understand how it's impacting your life now so you can start to move past it.
One of the ways that the past can hold you back is by keeping you from being present. When you're constantly living in fear of what might happen or replaying old hurtful experiences repeatedly in your head, you're unable to focus on the good that's happening in your life right now.
You might miss out on opportunities or withdraw from relationships because you're afraid of getting hurt again.
The past can also hold you back by making you doubt yourself.
If you've been told your entire life that you're not good enough or that you'll never amount to anything, it will be hard to believe in yourself. As a result, you might not pursue your dreams or settle for less than what you deserve because you don't think you can achieve more.
Why You Need to Let It Go
Simply put, holding onto the past prevents you from living in the present.
When you're constantly dwelling on old experiences, you cannot focus on the good in your life right now. You might miss out on opportunities or withdraw from relationships because you're afraid of getting hurt again.
This means that it also stops you from moving forward.
In order to create a happy and fulfilling life, you need to be able to forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made and move on. If you're constantly living in the past, it will be impossible to create a bright future for yourself.
Otherwise, you're going to be stuck where you are. Paralyzed by the fears of the past, unable to move into something new. You become stagnant, which is not the place to nurture a happy life.
That's how holding onto the past is preventing you from being happy. When you focus on all your past negative experiences, you're unable to appreciate the good things in your life. You might find yourself feeling stuck and like there's no hope for a better future.
If you can learn to let go of the past and be free, then you're allowing yourself to step into a much happier, much more fulfilling, and much more healthily life.
Your life exactly how you want it to be.
How to Let the Past Go
Let's make this actionable because there's a lot to cover.
Letting go of the past is not something you can usually do by snapping your fingers but is instead a path you'll walk over time.
Forgive yourself
The chances are you've been holding onto guilt or shame from a past experience, and it's time to let it go.
It may help to list all the things you've been holding onto and beating yourself up over. Even the things that weren't intentionally your fault, like being in a bad relationship or accidentally hurting someone.
List it all up and work on forgiving yourself, and I mean actually forgiving yourself. Not just saying it, but saying it with meaning. This is how you start saying to yourself that you're ready to move on.
Forgive others
If there's someone from your past who hurt you, it's important to forgive them so that you can move on. Forgiving someone doesn't mean that what they did was okay, it just means that you're ready to release the anger and hurt that you've been holding onto.
Remember, holding onto painful past experiences and feeling bitter about them, no matter how traumatic and hurtful they were, will only ever hold you back and no one else. It's your pain, and as unfair as it may sound, it's up to you to take control and soothe it.
Again, this is where this becomes a process, and there will surely be ups and downs, but it's so worth it when you're able to feel happy again.
Interestingly, the next step is to let go of the need to control everything.
When you're holding onto the past, you're trying to control the present and future by hanging onto what's already happened. Instead of living in fear, let go of the need to control everything and allow yourself to live in the present moment.
Focus on the positives
When you can focus on the positive experiences from your past, it will be easier to let go of the negative ones. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, focus on what went right.
No, this doesn't mean that you need to believe the world is full of sunshine and rainbows, nor do you have to discount the value that's in negative experiences. You can't be grateful for the positive times if you haven't experienced negativity. Nor should you just pretend everything is and always has been fine and the negative shit never happened.
That's not what this is about.
It's about understanding and accepting the past, positives, negatives, and all, and then acknowledging that there are lessons to be learned within these experiences that will help you to grow into the best and brightest version of yourself.
Every beautiful flower has to grow through dirt.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness can help you to get in tune with your emotions and better understand what you should let go of and what needs to be addressed.
The beauty of meditation is you get time alone in your thoughts without outside influence, so you really get to feel what you want to feel and shape the path that you want to take.
Mindfulness is really key to helping you shape your reality and understand when it's time to let go of the past. You are the boss of your own mind, and you have the power to decide what influences you and your emotions.
And with all this combined, the final step is to make a decision to let it all go.
If you've been holding onto the past for years, it might not be easy to let it go overnight. But if you're ready to move on and create a better future for yourself, make the decision to let go of the past and start fresh.
Deciding to let go of your past is a courageous act that will lead you toward a happier and more fulfilling life. It's tough. Some pains in your past may even have become part of your identity at this point, but you have to own them.
The past is gone. The present is now.
Live it freely.
Lots of love
Bhupi :) xo
P.S. If you're unsure of how to start your journey and are looking for a bit of guidance, don't worry. I've got you. Join my happiness coaching program through my new four-week course on getting out of your comfort zone or my 1-2-1 chats where we can turn the pain of your past into the power of your present.
Happiness is on the horizon, my friends. Let's step into it!
