The Past as a Gift
By Tiffany Lehman
It is easy to feel negative about mistakes we have made and unhappy events.
Often people carry around unnecessary regret, resentment, sadness, and pain due to
historical events and situations. A healthier approach is to look at our past with a positive
mind frame. It is possible to be grateful for the lessons, experiences and growth our
history has provided in our lives. We can also choose acceptance or use the past as a
tool.
Multiple studies report that every message you receive lives on in your mind.
This research indicates a very important concept; our past influences who we are today.
Every event leaves an imprint on your spirit. The challenge is to use this information to
your advantage.
Throughout the ages, people have emerged from extremely painful circumstances
with strong insights about who they are and what is genuinely important. Psychotherapist
Victor Frankel experienced years of horror in the Nazi concentration camps. During this
time he learned many lessons about why people give up, and why people can and should
live, despite enduring the most unspeakable events. As a result of his experience, Frankel
concluded that we cannot avoid suffering. However, he teaches us that we have a choice
in how to cope, challenges us to find meaning, and asks us to move forward with
purpose. Without the insight provided during his time in the concentration camp, Frankel
may have never revolutionized the field of psychology and thinking today.
Thomas Holdcroft said, “The past is a guidepost, not a hitching post.” Successful
people are aware of the influence of their history in their current life circumstances and
how it may affect the future. They do not remain victims or carry historical baggage.
Instead, they shape their lives by using it as a guide. The information becomes valuable
knowledge to reveal who they are and where they came from, and assists in discovering
their motivations, needs and values. Such people use the past as a gift. They consciously
create their ideal future based on the lessons they have learned. They also recognize
which memories are negative and either deliberately choose acceptance or let the
negative memories go completely.
How can you use the past as a gift? Recall the pain and the mistakes; connect with
the frustrations and failures, but only for a moment. You cannot change previous events.
However, you can choose how to use them. You can choose to let go. You can choose to
accept. You can choose to embrace our history. You can also view your past as a
necessary, valuable lesson. Through each moment, you learned or had the opportunity to
learn. On each step of the way, you progressed or had the opportunity to progress. You
experienced exactly what you needed to become who you are today.
Recall a previous moment in time. What lessons did you learn? How did the
event make you a better person? How will you continue to learn from this experience to
enhance your future? If presented with a similar situation, would you respond
differently? Is this a valuable memory or it is time to let go? Mantras or affirmations can
also be helpful. Try using the following affirmation or write your own:
I am grateful for each and every moment of my past. These events allowed
me to become the wonderful person I am today. I only concentrate on the helpful
lessons to make today and every day the best it can be. I release any past pain and
negativity. I live happily and peacefully in the now.
A wise author once said “having spent the better part of my life trying either to
relive the past or experience the future before it arrives, I have come to believe that in
between these two extremes is peace.” The key is to use the past as a tool, to continually
take steps toward creating the future you truly desire, and to live peacefully in the current
moment. This moment is all we truly have. Today is priceless. Use it to create beautiful
memories for tomorrow.