Every one of us has our own personal challenges in life we have to deal with. We also all have a past that can affect us in various ways. For some of us, our past is a collection of beautiful memories and gorgeous experiences that we love to return to. For many of us, we have both good and bad sprinkled in, as that’s the usual flow of life. For a few of us, there are terrible issues in our past that we’d like to get over and resolve. While the past shapes each of us and can inform who we are, it’s also perfectly possible to put it away. Why is this? It’s because the present always defines the past, constantly. We always have new perspectives on a situation, and our present perspective is all that actually exists. While the past can place a hold on us, understanding the redemptive power of the present can help us break free from that, or put it in its proper place.

Overcoming a difficult past isn’t so easy to do, however. Sometimes, it can be repeated if you don’t focus on a change. With our tips, learning to put the past away in the healthiest manner possible can be a wonderful effort, and can help you live your best life:

Therapy

There could be a million thoughts you have about your past, but sometimes you might not have followed the thought thread down a line that leads to any form of personal resolution. This is called ruminating, and it can take as much as it seemingly gives. It can be very easy to torture yourself about decisions made, experiences lived through, and perhaps things you could and should have done. Therapy not only helps you organize your thoughts but to express them in front of an impartial professional. A professional may not even contribute any thoughts to that which you tell them, but simply provide you with the room to release without fear of judgment. This can help you to no end, but there are more intensive potentials on offer if you care for it.

Solving The Root

It can be that a bad past follows you because of the bad habits that seemingly follow you from that time. If you find that bad memories have been caused by your drinking habits, and you have changed as a person but still retain those drinking habits, there is a common denominator that you might wish to change. Heading to a sober living community or at least exercising intense advice from your health professional can help you solve the root, but remember that addiction is a mental illness unlike any other, and sometimes more is needed than simple personal ‘cold turkey.’

Artistic Expression

It can be that writing in a journal, painting, or even dancing can help you express your past, and come to terms with it. Art is ethereal but it can also be very practical in helping us overcome our past and learn to live anew. This is why art therapy is a significant field, and why journals have been proven to help anyone organize their thoughts deeply. With a little care, artistic expression can go a long way, so be sure to respect its power.

With these simple tips, overcoming a difficult past might be more possible than you had already thought.