Many people struggle with letting go of things from the past. You might be among these people. Some of the things that you could be struggling with may include freeing yourself from past mistakes and past relationships even trying to heal from disappointments. You could have cried, talked about the past trying to relieve yourself from it, and even spent a lot of time meditating on it. Although letting go is not that easy, all hope is not gone. If you are looking for answers on letting go of things from the past, you have come to the right place. We have outlined several things that can help you to move on.
1. Accepting you have been struggling with the issue
The first step towards letting go is accepting that you have been struggling with the issue. For instance, if you want to let go past shame, accept you are shameful. Similarly, if you want to let go of heartbreak, accept you were heartbroken, and you cannot change the act of being heartbroken.
2. After acceptance, create a positive mantra
The way you talk to yourself matters a lot. It can either make you become more stuck or move on. Creating a positive mantra to tell yourself whenever the past comes will help you move on. For instance, instead of saying, “I cannot imagine this happened in my life,” you can say, “It was for good that this happened in my life; it made me know how strong I am.”
3. Focus on what you want
Focusing on what you desire is another thing that will help you let go of the past. Instead of taking all the time to think of the past, which can be frustrating, you can try to visualize, imagine and fantasize about whatever you desire rather than what you lost. After knowing what you want, you can look for ways to help you achieve your desires.
4. Create physical distance
By creating distance between you and the person or the situation that makes you upset, you will be letting go of the past because you will not be reminded of the incident every now and then.
5. Be gentle with yourself
Sometimes we tend to be too harsh with ourselves over past mistakes. We also tend to blame ourselves even in areas we are not supposed to. By being too harsh with yourself, you will not be able to forgive yourself. Be gentle with yourself and accept you cannot change what happened, forgive yourself, and move on.
6. Don’t wait for the person who offended you to apologize
Accepting that the person may never even apologize will help you let go. Waiting for an apology from the person will keep you stuck. If you are suffering from pain and hurt, the best thing to do is to take care of yourself. Focus on your healing and move on.
7. Associate with concerned people
You cannot make it alone in life. You will also take longer to go through the hurts and past pains alone. By associating with people who care, it will be easy to heal. A person who cares about you will give you an ear; pour out what you have to. By doing so, you will be relieving yourself from the past.
Other tips that can help you let go of the past:
Forgiving the person who offended you
Allowing the negative emotions to flow if they have to
Doing your own work/ minding your business
Focusing on the present
Practicing mindfulness
Seek the assistance of a professional
Pray about the issue; having faith that God can relieve you from all the past pain
Bottom line
You have to accept that letting go of the past is not that easy, and it takes time. You should, therefore not expect to get immediate results. You also need to accept that letting go is what you want and practice the tips mentioned above, and with time you will just wonder how you managed to overcome.
The first step towards letting go is accepting that you have been struggling with the issue. For instance, if you want to let go past shame, accept you are shameful. Similarly, if you want to let go of heartbreak, accept you were heartbroken, and you cannot change the act of being heartbroken.
