To move forward into a better, more purpose-driven life, we need to deal with the past. We need to face our failures and hurts and release our accomplishments.
Your past may hold some of the wealthiest nuggets of treasures to equip you for the future. But it most likely also contains some of your most significant obstacles and blocks to moving into what God created you. All of us have failures we regret in our past. It is impossible to succeed without failure. A toddler would never learn to walk without ever falling. And like the toddler, we need to know from the falls we have, get up, dust ourselves off and move along.
Far too many of us live defined by the choices we made in the past. It is hard to move forward when our history defines us. We need to make less of a deal about our failures. Please do not dwell on them a second longer than they have something to teach you. That should not be the case. After all, each new day presents an opportunity to become a new person on a new road destined for a new future.
But those who choose to forget the past miss out on its fullest potential. There are valuable lessons to be learned from it. And those who question their history are most prepared to live life to the fullest in the present.
Consider the lessons we can learn from our past. By simply asking the right questions, we can discover.
- Strengths that define us.The talents and abilities we use to navigate and provide value to this world define our lives and the change we can offer. And by recalling our strengths in the past, we can better recognize our opportunities in the present.
- Weaknesses that frustrate us.We all have weaknesses in personality and competence. When left unaddressed, these weaknesses limit our potential for impact and significance. Discover them. Recognize them. And learn to overcome them by seeking the help of others.
- Causes that energize us.Our lives find the greatest joy when wehelp others discover theirs. Which social causes have energized you in the past? What role were you able to fulfill in helping others? And how can similar pursuits bring new energy into your life today?
- Relationships that inspire us. There are, no doubt, several people who have inspired us to become better versions of ourselves throughout our lives. What traits do they have in common? And can you surround yourself with more people like them today?
- Environments that derail us.The company we keep and the cultures we function in either bring us the inspiration or derail our progress. Are there relationships in your past that continually brought you down and resulted in destructive decisions? If so, learn from your past to avoid them.
- Habits that invigorate us.Throughout our lives, we employ a variety of disciplines to make the most of it. We discover a new diet, a new fitness practice, or anew morning routine. We experiment with them–some work, some do not. Eventually, these new disciplines either become habits, or they fade from our memory. Look back. Recognize the patterns that brought energy, health, and invigoration into your life. And embrace them again.
- Affections that bring joy to us.Various matters of our mind and heart bring different amounts of pleasure, meaning, and fulfillment into our lives. What affections during life brought you the most joy? And have you gotten away from them? If so, return. And in so doing, recognize what distracted you from them in the first place.
- Pursuits that distract us. Ultimately, the decisions we make with the resources determine the life we end up living. Most of the resources we have at our disposal arefinite and limited(money, time, energy). The allocation of them towards one pursuit limits the number of resources we have available towards others. It is wise to recognize the subtle pursuits that routinely distract you from the most authentic desires of your heart.
- Addictions that control us.We are a people that too often give control of our most precious asset to another. We fall under the influence of substances, possessions, or entertainment. And when we do, our life is no longer our own. Identify the recurring controlling substances (addictions) in your life and humbly seek the help needed to remove their influence over you.
- Temptations that trip us.Like addictions, we each have unique weaknesses to temptation. These temptations may vary in nature, but each detracts from the entire life possible. But they do not need to define us. We can begin anew. However, only those who can identify and admit their past mistakes can learn from them.
- Learning styles that suit us.We all learn differently. Some are visual learners, and some are verbal; some learn best in a group setting, while others learn best alone. Your learning style is as unique to you as your fingerprint. The important thing is to recognize and understand what type suits you best. Life is about constant learning, and the sooner we realize how we learn best, the sooner we will begin to grow in it.
- Motivations that compel us.Deep in our hearts, our motivation runs supreme. It determines the decisions we make, the use of our time, and the words we choose to use. Understanding our most profound causes is a difficult task. It requires stillness, patience, and consistent self-evaluation. But the more we discover why we do the things we do, the easier it is for us to make the most of the present we live in today.
If we start asking the right questions, we can learn countless life-giving lessons from our past. But it would be equally foolish to forget it completely when it offers so much potential for the present.
Game-Changing Moves:
- Write down an experience in your past that has affected your confidence in your ability to grow.
- What has this experience cost you in your life? (Trust, confidence, relationships, happiness, etc.)
- What immediate MASSIVE ACTION will you take to overcome fear and ELEVATE TO GREATNESS?
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