26. Two things in the past we need to let go of

It’s difficult to be present and move forward without letting go of the past. And there are two things in the past we need to let go of: failures and successes.

Past mistakes, rejections, shortcomings, wrong decisions, and sins can paralyze us with fear, hopelessness, regret, and insecurities.

Our past failures can lead us into hopelessness, into thinking that this is as good as it gets. We become afraid to try again because we expect we’ll fail again.

Our past achievements, recognitions, and even physical appearances can lead us into chasing past glories and admiration.

When struggling in the present, our past successes can lead us into thinking that we’re no longer good enough or past our prime. Sometimes, our early successes become our identity that is taken away.

We also become afraid to fail or look foolish because there’s an image of success that we’re protecting.

To let go of past failures, we need to learn to forgive ourselves.

To let go of past successes, we need to learn to be humble.

And in either case, we need to learn to accept ourselves.

Are you struggling with letting go of the past? (I am! I am Mr. Living-in-the-Past!)

If you appreciate articles like this, consider signing up for my free weekly newsletter or supporting the blog.

This post first appeared on carlocruz.org.