Many people have had too many sleepless nights. Their own worries and troubled past prevent them from seeking out the rest and relaxation they need. Sadly, restless nights might just be the beginning of issues that arise when you have a troubled past. Luckily, there are ways that you can combat your personal history, leave the trauma behind, and build a better you.
Accept it
Too often, people try to tolerate their past selves, not accept them. When you only tolerate something, it means you understand something is in your life and that it has to be there. Acceptance, on the other hand, means you understand that you chose to allow it to be there; you’re done putting up with it, and it’s now your choice.
To move on from your past, you need to truly accept it. A good practice to help accomplish this would be to lookup mugshots online of that time in your life you want to move beyond. If you can’t find yours, peruse other people you can find. Allow their images to invoke feelings and emotions in you from your past and understand that you aren’t that person anymore. That person in the mugshot isn’t the person who you are now, though they helped shape who you currently are.
Talk about it
Another step you should take to move forward in your life is to talk about your past. A loved one or a therapist would make an ideal candidate as the person you should confide in. That’s because you’ll want them to have a vested interest in what you have to say. If you decide to talk with a friend or family member, make sure they’re someone you can trust.
In the age of social media, it feels like any secret is fair game to get posted to the internet. If you’re considering a therapist, don’t stress the fact that you’re seeking professional help. Additionally, you shouldn’t get hung up on what to expect during your first therapy session because you should allow it to be natural. Talking will give you the chance to process what you’ve experienced.
Learn from it
One of the most difficult things to do in life is to learn from our mistakes. If you can do that, then they aren’t failures. Rather, they’re learning moments. A goal you should set for yourself is to think about something you want to move on from in your past and what you now know because of it. This doesn’t have to be anything complicated, but rather something simple like a reflection about how people in jail love reading letters. This information can help you be a person who seeks to uplift the downtrodden later in life. It also turns a negative aspect of your past into a positive outcome in your future.
Let it go
Elsa from Frozen had it right all along—you just need to let it go. Freeing yourself from the worry and anxiety that you past created is the final step in moving beyond your troubles. To do this, you need to remember that you only live at one point in time: the present. By embracing this fact, you can focus on what’s in front of you rather than what’s behind you. Consequently, you’ll let go of your past thoughts and live more in the present. If focusing on the present is enough, a good practice to let go of worries in your life would be through meditation. It’s good for not only moving on but has several other health benefits.
Like with most aspects of life, moving beyond your troubled past is a journey that requires a process to follow. Embrace the steps, and follow your path to a better future.
