Letting Go Of The Past & Healing Old Wounds
Letting go of something that has a profound effect on you can be difficult. In this post, we talk about letting go of the past and healing old wounds to make way for the present and the future.
When you’ve pinpointed exactly what your hopes, dreams, and goals are, you need to ask the universe for what you want. Letting go of the past can be challenging. Events that people found difficult can have a significant influence on their daily life, from their beliefs to the decisions they make.
Some examples of past events that can be difficult to let go of include:
- intimate relationships
- perceived successes or failures
- mistakes or regrets
- events that were upsetting or disturbing
However, there are ways to address the lingering effects of past experiences. This may involve practicing self-compassion, trying mindfulness as a way of focusing on the present moment, or seeking therapy to explore unresolved feelings.
Life experiences affect people in a variety of ways. Some people find it easy to move on after a difficult experience, while others find that these experiences have a lasting impact on their mental health.
People who struggle to let go of specific events from the past may have experienced trauma. Trauma is a kind of psychological wound that can result from any distressing experience, such as loss, danger, or deep embarrassment.
Often, people associate trauma with being involved in a violent event, such as war. However, it can affect anyone. The distress it causes can also change how people think.
How To Let Go Of The Past
The following steps may help people begin to move on from troubling memories, such as past mistakes or regrets.
Make a commitment to let go
The first step toward letting go is realizing that it is necessary and feeling ready to do so. This can happen at different times for different people, but once someone makes this decision, it can be empowering.
Feel the feelings
Memories of past events can bring up complex or strong emotions. Allowing oneself to feel those feelings unconditionally, without trying to fight or fix them, is an important step toward processing what happened.
This can be difficult, so it may help to express these feelings in a safe place, such as in a journal, with a trusted friend, or with a therapist.
Take responsibility
If relevant, it can help people who feel guilt, embarrassment, or shame about the past to take responsibility for their role in the event. This does not mean blaming oneself, but simply acknowledging what happened and taking ownership of past actions.
This can help people feel less helpless and feel that if they can take responsibility for the past, they can do the same for the future.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is a skill that encourages people to focus on what is happening in the present. This can help people who struggle with rumination.
If you’re interested in find out if life coaching is for you, I highly recommend you schedule a free Mindset & Transformational session with me. During this session, we spend 30 minutes together to understand what you’d like to work on and see if we’d be a fit working together. To learn more, you can schedule a session here.
Thank you very much Chloe. Very helpful!