At one of my “Discover Your Purpose” events, a question came up on how do you not look back at the past without being regretful, sad or disappointed. The real question was … how do I get unstuck from my past?
There are times in life that you find yourself looking back … memories of loved ones lost, mistakes that were made, regrets of not having “done” something, etc. You have all been there.
There are two ways to “look back” and it is your choice to decide which method is the right one for you.
Looking back and staying Stuck
Looking back to relive every moment of loss, regret, worry, concerns, disappointments, happiness, joy … the list can go on & on. This method of looking back is keeping you stuck in the past and not allowing you to be present in your life. Or even to allow you to dream about your future. You are making the past a part of the present. By staying stuck in the past, you are missing the opportunities of joy, friendship, & happiness that come your way every day.
Looking back and moving forward
Looking back to see how far you have come so you can move forward in your life. This method of looking back is a check and balance system. It is a way for you to see and understand the amount of growth that has occurred in your life … in friendships, business/career, health, etc. Keeping your focus on the present and what is going on in the present is a gift that you give yourself and everyone else in your life motivating you to continue in the present and future.
The loss of a loved one is one of those moments that can have you looking back. Sometimes you feel that if you don’t look back … stay in the sad moments of missing them … the person(s) will be gone forever. You will forget them and move on with your life without them in it.
Or maybe it is the loss of a job that you have held for over 10 years. You suddenly find yourself losing you when you lost the job. You stay stuck in the “what if” moments reviewing all the different things that you could have done to have kept the job.
Life is a journey and will take you to beautiful places in this lifetime. The journey can feel risky and scary. Or it can feel exciting and wonderful. Or it can feel all of those things. How you view your journey and the way that you look back is a choice. Make it a good one.