Are You Ready To Move Forward
Everyone has things in the past they would like to forget After all, there are bad things that happen, poor choices that are made and negative people who can trick us into thinking otherwise.
For some people it’s easy to learn a lesson from these experiences and then move on. However, for some people, things aren’t so easy.
This becomes especially true when it comes to those who may have endured negative circumstances for lengthy periods. A perfect example that comes to mind would be those involved in domestic violence situations.
While these types of situations may be traumatic, it’s important to not allow it to dictate how the rest of our life will turn out.
Check out these tips for learning to let go from Mind Body Green.
1. Meditate.
Find stillness, breathe. Meditation is action. Our mind is much harder to still than our body. Our lives are busy and fast paced, filled with external noise and distractions. Clarity comes from quiet. Meditation, even in small amounts, will make room for the next 9 steps.
2. Understand.
Take time to reflect on your own history as a third party looking in without judgment: simply observe. Understand that you are not your past. Understand that the situations and patterns and people in your life created your experiences, they didn’t create you.
Knowing and understanding your past and some of your patterns will help you to recognize why you hold on and repeat self-destructive behaviors. Understanding creates awareness; awareness helps you break the cycle.
3. Accept.
Accept your history and the people that have been a part of your history; accept your circumstances and remember that none of these define you. Acceptance is the first step to letting go and setting yourself free. Learn from the monk in the story: carrying bitterness, anger or animosity burdens no one but you.
4. Empty your cup.
Consciously and actively work at letting go of your story; your judgments and ideals, the material things, all your stuff. They have no real value. They do not make you stronger, healthier or more powerful, and belief in them is a delusion.
Pour out your expectations of how, who, where and what you should be as they, too, are part of a story that holds you back from simply being. Once you let go of this story and empty your cup, your life purpose will open up and flow.
5. Align.
Take a moment (or several: you’re worth the time) to write down the following:
i. Your core beliefs/values
ii. Your Life Goals
iii. The actions that you are taking to pursue those goals.
Now take an honest look at your core beliefs/values and determine whether or not they align with your goals and actions. If not, ask yourself: is it time to create new core beliefs, set new goals OR take new action? What actions must you take to align your actions with your beliefs in order to attain your goals.
Write down 3 actions that you will take this week to get yourself moving.
6. Flex.
It may seem paradoxical to detach from outcomes, yet set goals and work toward them. But if you are flexible — that is, willing to let go of the end result — aligning your goals and true purpose with the greater good is righteous action.
7. Contribute.
When you find yourself lamenting about your past or angry about your present or brooding about your future, find a way to making someone’s day better.
Offering a smile to someone as you pass, opening a door, putting a bit of extra change in the parking meter, dropping off some food for the food bank: these simple actions can have lasting impact and help you to put your situation into perspective.
8. Believe in yourself.
Believe in your purpose. Believe that the universe is unfolding as it should and that you have a divine roll to play. Believe that holding on does nothing in fact but hold you back from that purpose.
Image Credit: pixabay
To see more tips and the rest of this article, Mind Body Green
