“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill
Last night I spoke to a group of men at a drug/alcohol recovery center in Denver. Those guys know about adversity.
I was struck by their overwhelming preoccupation with the past. In the process of acknowledging and owning their mistakes, they face a lot of regret and shame. Embarrassed about unfortunate choces, they focus on wasted opportunities.
All of us can learn a lesson in that struggle. Everyone would like to hit the DELETE key occasionally, but lfe usually doesn’t offer do-overs. Somehow we all need to recognize and learn from mistakes, adjust behaviors and attitudes, and move on. You cannot move forward when you’re stuck in the past.
That’s a message we all need to hear, but it’s easer to know than to do. Whether it’s our fault, someone else’s fault, or nobody’s fault, adversity threatens to mire us in the mud of past events and choices. I suspect that a significant portion of emotional and spiritual health rests in the ability to learn from the past without living there.
Question: What’s one key to avoiding the temptation to get stuck in the past?
Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.
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Well I have to agree. I now live life to the fullist. I got in a car accident about 3 months ago and, although I forgave the driver, I was still a bit angry. One day, not too long ago, I decided to get back out there an do what I used to do, mainly dance and sing. It is going to be a long uphill battle until I can get better again but I won’t let that stop me from doing what I love to do.
Thanks for this.
I’m glad you found a way out of the darkness of regret and anger. If you’ve looked at my web site, you know that I wasted many years refusing to let go of the past. Good luck on moving forward. I’d love to hear about your progress.
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