Holding onto the past negativity can be very toxic and hard to let go of. It becomes a heavy anchor that weighs you down and holds you back. The hardest thing to do at times is not necessarily to hold on, but to let go of the things that negatively impact your life. Some things in your past you can change, but only moving forward, while other things you can’t change at all. We’d love to offer you a few tips to moving on and refocusing your positive instead of letting the past haunt you.
1. Stay Busy
Sometimes the best way to let go of something is to just stay busy and be too busy to think about it. Fill your day with tasks, hobbies, new experiences, entertainment, work, and friends – all things that bring joy to your life and make you happy.
2. Closure
You can’t always change the past, but you can attempt to make amends. Apologize, acknowledge things you did wrong or could do better, communicate with the person or about the situation you are having issues with and find a way to put them to rest. Give yourself a set date to walk away and move on.
3. Make the Negative A Positive
Some terrible things in your life you cannot control, but instead of holding onto them and being upset, find the good in the situation. If you have recently lost a love one, organ donation is an amazing way to turn your loss into a life saving gift of love and miracles to someone in need. You can always reach out and help support others who may be going through the same hardship as you are. Let them know they are not alone. Letting a positive outcome result from your situation is one of the best ways to be at peace with it.
4. Communicate
You solve a lot more problems talking TO someone instead of ABOUT them. If you have a problem with someone, the best way to get through it is to calmly and maturely communicate with that person about your concerns.
5. Clear Your Mind
Meditate and find other ways or activities to clear your mind and relax. Reducing stress levels, and stress around whatever you are holding onto is a great way to push it out of your life. Not letting it affect you anymore is important.
6. Spring Cleaning
Sometimes the best way to get rid of the old is to make room for the new. Spring cleaning is a great way to get rid of clutter, clean out your life from the trash you’ve collected and saved over the years, and to give yourself a fresh start. Nothing feels better than a clean home or bedroom!
7. Understand that You Deserve Better
If you are holding onto a past relationship with someone who didn’t treat you well, you need to find the courage and strength within yourself to move on. You deserve love, happiness, consideration and above all to be treated with respect and kindness. If the person you are with is not giving you these things, then you need to understand that you deserve better and move on.
8. Take Responsibility
Sometimes accepting that something is your own fault can be a difficult task. You need to dig deep and really admit and handle your own fault and blame instead of aiming it at others. Not being able to accept responsibility will only create resentment toward others. Take responsibility for your own actions and accept that what’s done is done, but moving forward you will make the changes to become a better person.
9. Get it Out
Sometimes you may not always understand what or why you are holding onto something. The best thing you can do is talk about your feelings with others, or even a professional. They will help you see things from a different perspective and you may come to conclusions or realize things you didn’t before. Talking about things and “letting it all out” is definitely needed to get things out of your system and leave them behind you.
10. Time
Things simply require time to dissolve, fade, or heal. You can’t force them. There is a grieving process your body will go through, and there may be vivid thoughts your mind refuses to let go of. Just have patience, relax and continue to live your life the best you can day to day. Let the things that are bothering you fade away and become distanced from your life and your mind, one day at a time.
