The past can bring wonderful memories or gut-wrenching pain. It can be a fulfilling journey down memory lane or a long road with unforgiving curves and deep potholes. No matter what your past is – it has come & gone and you must learn to embrace and learn from it. Please enjoy these 8 tips to embrace life & accept the past…
1. Be Willing To Forgive
Don’t leave unfinished business in the past. It will loom over you like a storm cloud even on the sunniest of days. Unfinished business can mean anything from relationships to emotional issues to guilt. These types of unfinished business can create negative emotions that ripple through your life in the present. Bring some closure to your past. You don’t have to call up the person (people) who hurt you but choose to forgive and move on – even when it’s the hardest thing to do.
2. Face Each Day As A New Beginning
The only thing you can control in your life is your own actions. Choose to make the most out of every day. Be who you want to be and don’t worry about what the world might think. It is a blessing and an anomaly that you are alive, and you should remember that often.
3. Remain Open To Change
We live in a constantly evolving world of ever-changing issues and solutions. Remaining open to change doesn’t mean you let your true self fade away. Be true to yourself and allow yourself to transform into something better when the moment calls for it. Life is much better when you keep doing, observing, and searching for greater quality.
4. Live In The Moment
Living in your thoughts, whether it’s about the future or the past, will suck your right out of the moment and into your own emotional bubble. It sounds simple, but humans really struggle with enjoying the “now.” Stop worrying, smile often, and work hard today.
Tip: Try focusing on the beautiful little details in the world around you if you find yourself lost in your thoughts.
5. Make A List Of What You Want From This Moment
What do you really want from “now”? Would you like to be happy? Successful? Fulfilled? Write down what you’d like from the present and keep the list close by. Jot down a quick note anytime you feel like you’re accomplishing something on the list.
6. Plan Ahead (But Not Too Much)
Create a plan for your future. Figure out what you’d like to achieve in a month, a year, and five years down the road. Once you’ve got your desires/goals/dreams, come back to the present and take action. Planning ahead makes things less stressful, can save you time, and help you avoid missing out on things.
Tip: Don’t plan out every minute of every day. This will not ease you into the present.
7. Face Every Challenge As A New One
Don’t let your thoughts go running into the past when you notice similarities in the present. Worrying about things won’t make them better. Take bold steps in every challenge in life and detach yourself from the outcome. Stressing about the end result can turn a molehill into a mountain in minutes.
8. Think Before You Speak
You are responsible for everything you say, and the terms you use can have a profound impact. Words have power – they can help and they cant hurt (sometimes at the same time). Your word choice shows your intelligence, your ignorance, and define who you are.
Tip: Better yet, stop talking and start doing. Actions speak far louder than words.
