Moving On From The Past: Embracing Growth & Transformation

"The truth is unless you let go—forgive yourself, forgive the situation, realize the past is over—you cannot move forward."
- Steve Maraboli

Introduction:

Letting go of the past is a common struggle many of us face on our journey of personal growth.

You might find yourself working tirelessly to release the pain and trauma that from your past, only to discover that old issues resurface, sometimes in unexpected ways.

This can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening. But understanding why this happens and how to approach it can help you navigate this challenge with greater ease.

Why It's Hard to Let Go Of The Past

1. Residual Energy: Even after you’ve addressed the emotional trauma of past experiences, the energy associated with these events can linger in your body. Emotional wounds often leave behind an energetic imprint that needs to be consciously released. This residual energy can subtly affect your thoughts, feelings, and reactions, causing past issues to resurface.
   

2. Layers of Healing: Healing is rarely a one-time event. It can help to think of it as peeling an onion: each layer you remove might reveal another underneath. You may work through one aspect of your past, only to find deeper layers that require attention. Each time you address a new layer, you’re progressing further in your journey of healing.
   

3. The Influence of Your Past: Your past experiences have shaped who you are today. Moving away physically or changing your environment doesn’t erase those experiences. You can relocate or make significant changes in your life, but the impact of your past will continue to influence you. This influence isn’t necessarily negative; it’s a part of who you are and how you’ve grown.
   

   

Accepting Your Past

1. Embrace What Happened: Acceptance is a powerful tool in moving forward. Wishing that things had been different doesn’t change the past. Instead, accepting what happened and recognizing its role in shaping who you are today can be empowering. By acknowledging your past, you are able to use it as a source of strength rather than a barrier.
   

2. Learn From Your Experiences: Your past has given you unique insights and strengths. Reflect on how your experiences have contributed to your personal growth. What lessons have you learned? How have these lessons shaped your values, beliefs, and actions? By understanding and embracing these lessons, you can transform your past into a source of empowerment.
   

3. Use Your Past as a Stepping Stone: Instead of thinking about your past as a weight holding you down, or stopping you from making progress, think of it as a foundation upon which you can build. Your unique experiences have prepared you for the person you’re becoming. You can use this knowledge to make more informed choices and navigate your future with greater confidence.
   

Practical Steps to Move On

So how do you start making time for yourself, especially when it feels like there’s no time to spare? Here are some practical steps that can help you make the changes your spirit craves:

1. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself as you work through your past. Understand that healing is a process, and it’s okay to revisit old wounds when necessary. You just don’t want to stay there. Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a friend.

2. Develop a Routine for Release: Incorporate practices into your daily routine that help you release residual energy. This could include mindfulness meditation, journaling, or energy-clearing techniques such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). It could also involve working with a spiritual or energy healer. The important thing to know is that regular practice will help you stay grounded and continue to process any lingering, unsupportive emotions.
   

3. Find Support: Consider working with a coach or therapist who specializes in trauma and energy healing. They will provide guidance, support, and techniques to help you navigate your journey more effectively. Having a partner in your healing process can make a significant difference, and will help you correctly interpret what’s going on for you.
   

4. Celebrate Your Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Recognize the steps you’ve taken and the growth you’ve achieved. Celebrating your victories will boost your confidence and motivate you as you continue to move forward.
   

5. Create a Vision for Your Future: Focus on what you want to create in your life moving forward. Visualize the experiences you really desire and when you set goals make sure they align with this vision. By focusing on the life experiences you really want to have, you will shift your energy away from the past and towards the positive future you want.

Making Peace with Your Past

The goal is not to forget your past completely (I don’t think that’s possible) but to find peace with it. You can’t erase what has happened, but you can change your relationship with those experiences.

Make it your goal to reach a place where you are at peace with your past and can use it as a source of strength rather than letting it dictate your present and future.

Reflective Questions to Consider

• How have your past experiences shaped you and your current beliefs and behaviors?

• What lessons have you learned from your past that can benefit you now?

• In what ways can you use your past to empower your future goals and life experiences?

By focusing on these questions and taking small, practical steps, you will gradually release the hold your past may have on you.

Summary

It’s easy to think that putting distance between you and your past is the answer. There’s a wonderful book by Jon Kabat-Zin called “Wherever You Go, There You Are,” and I think the title says it all.

I moved away from home as soon as could, at the age of 17. I now live a few thousand miles away from where I grew up, and I had to learn that, although moving far away from an environment that was not healthy for me definitely helped me to do the work I needed to do to become healthier and happier, I still carried all the emotion and pain from my past wherever I went. It didn't just go away.

In other words, you can’t run away from it. Wherever you go, you take all the energy and emotion with you. What you can do is the inner work that’s needed to transform the unhealthy beliefs and conditioning from your past and make peace with your previous experiences.

Moving on from the past takes awareness, time and consistency. Embrace the process and know that each step you take brings you closer to a more fulfilling and empowered future, and a more empowered version of you.

Ready to go deeper with your journey of growth and transformation? Understanding which areas of your life need attention is key to moving on from the past effectively.

I invite you to take my Personal Energy Assessment. This assessment will help you identify the areas in your life that require focus and provide insights into how your past experiences may be influencing your present. By pinpointing these areas, you can tailor your healing and growth strategies to be more effective and aligned with your true self.

Click here to take the Personal Energy Assessment and start your path to greater clarity, peace, and empowerment today. Let’s work together to empower you to transform your past into a powerful force for your future.