The Equation We All Get Wrong

Many of us hate math. Even those of us who are extremely good at it, get this one equation wrong. It's the equation of our past and the future. It's the equation of our lives.

Here is that equation we all get wrong:

Our past is often riddled with baggage full of mistakes, humiliation, pain, and even abuse. It's home to broken relationships, childhood traumas, and occasionally some happy memories. Those happy memories are also tainted sometimes with unkept promises and silent contempt.

What's more, we tend to relive this past over and over again in the present. We talk about it and think about it constantly. Studies show that about 98% of our thoughts every day are exactly the same. We spend so much of our time in the past that it becomes a part of our personality. Our inner chatter knows nothing else but to think the same thoughts. We may not want to admit it, but many times, this also becomes a pattern that feels safe because it's the emotion you know. It's the emotion you've nurtured over the years, even though it's painful and is not serving you anymore. It causes you to overthink, to the point where you doubt yourself, and your identity. 

When we live this way instead of letting go of our past failures and hurt, we are wasting our present and hurting our future. We are recreating the same reality in the present by giving our past a lot of importance and time. We signal our subconscious mind that this is what we want more of in our lives. We want more of that heartbreak and failure. We are unknowingly attracting similar situations in our future.

But there is a way out of this. We are not the victims of our past. We can get out of the rut and break the vicious circle we are in. And the first step in that process is to firmly believe that our past does not equal the future. We need to take steps to understand our thought and life patterns and break them. Next time you feel those negative emotions rising up, repeat this a few times, "Thank you for sharing. I now let you go". 

By releasing our past, we create room in our present to attract new and positive experiences in our lives. We learn to forgive and let go of the things that don't serve us. We start believing that good is on its way to us now. And while things may not have worked out in the past, we can build a better future for ourselves. That our past and our future are not connected or doomed.

Remind yourself that just because you experienced failures - personal, professional, financial, or emotional; they don't define who you are. Pick yourself up, and work on yourself. Forgive the mistakes, let go of the guilt or pain and allow yourself to feel happy. Open yourself to new opportunities, new experiences, and new memories. You are more than your past, and your past experiences are not your future. You define the rules of your life. The sooner you accept this equation, the easier your life will be.

Remember, all that matters is what you are going to do right now.