5 steps to gain freedom by letting go of worry and regret
At some point in our lives we’ve all dealt with something that’s caused regret. Letting go of the past can almost seem impossible. Whether it be something small like making a wrong turn, or something significantly larger, like a destroyed relationship, dealing with regret is simply part of life. However, it’s how we deal with that adversity that defines our character. Effectively, that will lay the groundwork for our future life path. In this article we’ll take a look at 5 important steps you can take to be released from the bondage of your past to find freedom in a new mindset and new life for your future.
1. Hindsight is always 20/20
We all know it’s cliche, but hindsight truly is 20/20. As events unfold in our life, it’s very difficult to look back and not be critical of ourselves. The ability to evaluate our actions and circumstances is not only beneficial, but also necessary in order to learn from our mistakes. However, it becomes a major problem when we keep dwelling on the past and the actions we could have taken to avoid current problems we’re dealing with.
It’s also important not to look at the past with rose-colored glasses, whereas we don’t honestly evaluate the events in order to spare any internal or external strife with other people (i.e. spouse, co-workers, friends, siblings). Being honest and realistic about our own actions as well as how we perceive other people’s actions is of utmost importance in order to learn and grow from adversity.
2. Letting go of worry and regret will keep us from being paralyzed by adversity
If we continue to not let go of our past, then we will cease any positive momentum and veer our life path into negative territory. If we can’t let go of our past, we can’t move forward with our future. As I rhetorically asked in the video, “Have you ever seen someone consumed with regret from the past?” It’s incredibly sad to see an empty shell of a person that’s been consumed by worry, regret, and guilt. The stress of adversity has completely consumed them. They are stuck in a maelstrom of their own creating simply because they cannot let go of the past. This inability to let go has diverted their life path in many negative ways and has created a husk of humanity from their former self.
By surrounding themselves with negative energy, they’ve manifested all sorts of damage mentally, physically, and spiritually. Unfortunately, some people live in this hellish never-ending loop of misery until the day they die simply because they couldn’t let go of the past. By wallowing in the pain of the past, they’ve created a twisted caricature of their former selves, with their hopes and dreams swirling down the drain into the depths of despair. Clearly, this is a bad way to go, so it’s best to recognize our traumas, deal with them, learn from them, let go of them, and move on in a positive direction in our lives.
3. Letting go of the past means learning from our mistakes and making the necessary changes for the better
Letting go isn’t simply just forgetting about the past. Rather, adversity must be internalized and processed so we turn something negative into something positive. So often nowadays, people simply stick their proverbial head in the sand because they don’t want to deal with any painful aspects of life. This may cause temporary reprieve from adversity, but this will inevitably cause greater damage down the line as you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over without making critical changes. By not learning from the past we are forever doomed to repeat it.
4. Dwelling on the past is bondage whereas letting go of the past is freedom in power and purpose
Unfortunately, by not letting go of our past, we are forever held in bondage. Subsequently, this will negatively affect our relationships, our mindset, our self talk, our dreams and goals, our finances, our spiritual life, etc. Not letting go will, quite literally, keep us in a prison of our own making. There can be no path forward without acknowledging our past, learning from it, and letting go of it while moving forward with power and purpose.
We must understand that true freedom consists of constantly moving forward in concentric circles of making mistakes, learning from them, making changes, and moving on with power and authority. Making mistakes is human, and as we grow, we will never stop making mistakes. However, as we grow, our decision making ability improves and we are able to steer clear of disastrous choices we’ve made in the past in order to walk in power and purpose.
5. Letting go of the past creates resilience and strength of character
Have you ever seen someone who’s been through a massive trauma to come out the other side a better, more enlightened person? There’s almost an afterglow about them because they’ve forged the fiery furnaces of despair and endured the crucible of life. The dross was skimmed off the top and they were left pure. Consequently, they are able to forego the trivialities of life and hold firm to what is important.
Character isn’t simply something we’re born with, but rather, it’s the result of the choices we make and how we deal with hardship. By learning from our hardships, we not only improve our character, we also create resilience for future events. The things that happen to us today will either destroy us by not letting go, or they will prepare us for something greater in the future. That resilience is built up over time so we learn to not fall apart as soon as we face adversity.
In conclusion
As we can surmise, letting go of our past is crucial to the advancement of our lives in a positive manner. However, not learning from our past can cause devastating effects in our future. Therefore, it’s important to take the necessary steps today to make sure you can let go of your past in a positive and productive way. Consequently, we can set our life path in the right direction to keep growing while walking in power, purpose, and most of all, freedom.
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