How to Let Go of Conflict From Your Past
Photo Credit: Ryan Hyde
You can learn to let go of the conflict in your life. Everyone has things from their past they aren’t proud of. Perhaps you keep thinking about a situation and wonder how things might have been different. The reality is, wishing things were different isn’t doing you any good! Avoid letting past conflict hold you back.
Instead, release your concerns and focus on the present. Today is what matters and you can use today to make better days ahead. There are many techniques you can use to help you leave the past behind, and it’s good to experiment with different strategies until you find the one that’s right for you.
Thinking negatively about yourself or past events isn’t productive. Even if you’ve made mistakes, you should see them as learning experiences that brought you to where you are today. They’re teaching moments, where you make a choice and learn from what happens next.
Avoid dwelling on your mistakes. It’s important to take the information you learned and put it to good use. When you find yourself thinking negatively about your past, try a tactic that makes you focus on the present.
Some ways to help you focus on the present include:
- Exercising to raise your endorphin level
- Helping someone else by volunteering or getting involved in the community
- Meditating, praying, or visualizing
- Using affirmations to realize what positive things you currently have in your life
Thoughts have power, so make them work for you, not against you. When you look at your experiences in a positive light, you open the door for more positive energy and experiences to come your way. Maybe something happened that you didn’t like, but what did you learn from it? What good things came from it?
Most people forget to look for the good that comes in all experiences, so make it a priority to seek joy in the things you’re doing today. You aren’t required to forget about the past, but you can move away from it. Living in memories is no longer necessary. Live in the present, and look toward the future. It’s much easier to see where you’re going that way!
Make corrections on your journey if you need to, but avoid going backwards. Moving forward, into a bright future and away from conflict, should be your focus. When disconcerting thoughts of the past appear, gently urge them away with thoughts of the future. Avoid letting that negative voice get to you, because it isn’t what’s true and real.
You know what’s really important, even if your thoughts sometimes try to tell you otherwise. By focusing on what matters to you in the here-and-now, and seeing how you can extend that into your fabulous future, it becomes easier to shed the conflict that comes from spending too much time in the past.
It’s not possible to change your past, but it is possible to live for today.
That’s something to remind yourself of each day. Why live with regret and conflict when there’s joy and beauty to be found? Live in the light of peace and joy each day, and focus your energies on what you can do to make things better for yourself and the world around you.
You’ll find that you have more happiness and that you also bring more happiness to others. When you’re looking into the past, it’s hard to see the great things on display in the future. By letting go of your past, you’re able to change your focus and outlook onto much brighter things!
