“One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.” ~ Michael Cibenko

Do you often find yourself thinking about the past, reliving situations that happened a long time ago, wondering what you could have done differently and wished for things to be better?

Don’t worry. You are not alone.

So many people go back to the past daily. Unfortunately, this brings nothing but disappointment and regrets.

The past is not where we should be. It’s gone and there’s nothing we can do about it. And while we think about stuff that’s already happened, life passes us by.

The only way to be happy is to be present, to be mindful of what’s around us in each minute. That’s how we can enjoy and experience every day.

To achieve this you need to let go of the past. Then you’ll free yourself from its burden and will be ready to embrace freedom, joy, and peace. And these can be found in the present.

5 Ways to Let Go of the Past and Embrace the Future

So instead of thinking about what happened in the past, why not live now and be positive about what the future has in store?

Here are 5 tips to help you embrace the future and become free, independent and at peace, with yourself and the world around you:

1. Understand that the past doesn’t matter anymore.

We all say that, but not all of us have truly realized it. There’s absolutely nothing you can do to change the past. So stop trying, stop even thinking about it. It’s preventing you from having peace of mind.

2. Learn from what was.

Life lessons are everywhere around us. Especially in the mistakes, we made in the past. So learn from them, and then let them go. That’s a great way to have some closure.

Think of all the things you didn’t like about your life in the past, remind yourself of your failures and defeats, go back to the people you met and the relationships you had.

Realize they are not a part of you or your current life anymore. But they happened for a reason. Their mission was to make you a better person, with experience and knowledge.

Now you know what mistakes to avoid and what not to do when you let people in, try new things, or else. Take these lessons with you in your future and let them guide you on your journey.

You can’t let go of something if you don’t accept it for what it is. In fact, if you still struggle with accepting the past, it means you’re living in denial.

To let go is to make peace with everything that has already happened. That’s how you’ll let it be, leave it in the past and be sure it will stay there.

Not every relationship can survive the time. Instead of desperately focusing on being with people from our past, we should rather channel our thoughts on being grateful for what we had experienced with them.

4. Get back to the present moment.

Once you do that, you’ll be free – emotionally and physically – and will be able to be present again. That’s an amazing feeling as you can count your blessings, have a good time, appreciate the people in your life, take action upon your dreams, and do something about your future.

None of that is possible if you keep living in the past, though.

So embrace the present and thank for what is. You’ll feel wonderful without having to change anything on the outside.

5. Embrace the future with excitement.

The final step to is to be so positive about the future that you can be sure life has planned the best for you. Living this way will save you so much unnecessary worries. Most people spend every day trying to predict what the next one would bring, fearing it, imagining the worst, and trying to prepare.