We here “forgive and forget”, but I wonder if that is really ever possible. I know that it is possible to forgive, but how 
do we forget? I don’t think they’ve mastered the mind swipe, so how do we forget the hurts of the past?
This is something that I have struggled with in the past. In challenging times, it is easy to recall similar pain from the past. I think that we need to learn from the hurts from the past, but we need to be able to move on from them as well. Holding on to resentment keeps us from moving forward.
Negative experiences in life are there to teach us about ourselves as much as it does about the other people involved in those experiences. We have an obligation to take responsibility for our part in the hurts that we’ve experienced. It may be a matter of firmer boundaries, finding your voice, or building your self-esteem and self-confidence.
We don’t have the power to change others. The only thing we have control over is ourselves. Holding on to the past doesn’t help us in any positive way. It keeps us stagnant, and prevents us from developing healthy relationships in the future. Instead of anticipating that history is bound to repeat itself, stay positive and remain aware.
In my last blog post, I talked about repeating cycles. There are times when we repeat the same experiences because that’s what we’re focusing our energy on. We keep waiting for the other shoe to drop instead of expressing gratitude for the good times. Just because a job or relationship went south in the past, doesn’t mean it will happen again. If you’re in a good place in your relationships or career, be grateful for the blessing and enjoy the moment. Spending too much time focusing on what happened the last time takes away our joy and sabotages our happiness.
Like everything, letting go of the past is a work in progress. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight or without effort. Releasing the hurts of the past allows us to really enjoy the present moment and build stronger healthier relationships moving forward. What are you ready to let go of from your past? ♥