How to Let Go of the Past

One of the major issues I counsel people on is letting go of the past. Many people don’t even realize how much they have been holding on to the past and how that can stop them from fully living today. While it is normal and healthy to take time and reflect on things that have transpired in life, it is another thing completely to stay in those moments. How do you let go of the past? Here’s five steps to help you accomplish this: 1.Acknowledge that a specific event took place: Lots of times you can get stuck by simply refusing to acknowledge that something happened. 2.Accept that the event had an impact on your life: Not only did something happen, it altered you in some way. If it had not you wouldn’t still be dealing with it. 3.Identify how the circumstance affected you: In order to reach beyond said thing, you must identify exactly in what ways it has had an influence in your life. 4.Take steps to let go of the issue: Whether it be taking to a counselor, like myself, or some other way, you must actively try to release the thing that happened. This will be much easier now that you’ve completed the first three steps. 5.Seek to reconcile the past and the present: Now you have done the necessary steps to move on from the past. But do know that it’s very much a journey of continually striking a balance between the past and the present that has to occur. It’s a daily exercise, so don’t be discouraged if you touch back on this from time to time. Be well, warriors.