That was then, this is now...

That Was Then, This Is Now

Sometimes a painful memory will unexpectedly surface and you may find yourself dwelling on it… Reliving every moment of the experience. Possibly even chastising yourself, asking yourself why you didn’t respond differently, stand up for yourself, or do something to prevent the experience from occurring.

We can get very caught up in memories like these and allow them now, to this day, to take over our thoughts and emotions.

The next time a painful memory appears, try gently pushing it aside and letting it go. Don’t be angry with yourself if it reappears again — just release it again.

Decide to replace it with a good memory or, better yet, go out and create a wonderful new memory.

We cannot go back to “then” and change the past, but we can do wonderful things with “now” — the moments we intentionally create this day.

If you have difficulty with this concept, you may want to have a section in your journal for these kinds of memories. The experience can then lie peacefully in the journal — it need not take up room in your mind or emotions anymore… If something triggers it, remember that you don’t have to dwell on it anymore — it’s all in your journal, safely put away.

How many pieces of baggage are you carrying around? Can you imagine how it would feel to stop dragging these around with you, just by releasing your hold on them?