Never be a prisoner of your past

Never be a prisoner of your past, for it was a lesson -- not a life sentence.

There's nothing you can do to change what's already come to pass; all you can do is learn from it so that you don't make the same mistakes.

There's no sense beating yourself up over past decisions that, in hindsight, you wish you hadn't made, whether that includes hooking up with your ex, taking a particular job, or making a poor investment.

You should never lament anything that (1) once made you smile, even if it was at the very beginning (2) you ultimately learned from, making you a better person today.

Our missteps, as a matter of fact, are our best teachers. It's through our mistakes that we gain the most wisdom. If we never made any, how could we ever better ourselves?

Of course, that doesn't mean we should deliberately make foolish decisions for the sake of learning a lesson. But there's no question that all of us can cite at least a few choices we have made that led to a great deal of pain or frustration in our lives.

The key is to recognize what you did wrong and leverage that insight in your next relationship, job search, or business venture.

Never allow the past to hold you mentally hostage. Break free of those shackles by focusing on the present and building a bright future for yourself.

As I've stressed in prior posts, however, we can never lead fulfilling lives if we're stuck in the past (or stressing over the future). The present is where true happiness lies, but if our mind is consumed by the past, we risk missing out on it completely.

Seize the day by doing whatever makes you happy. Surround yourself with those who enrich your life. Stay focused on all the wonderful things you aim to achieve.

You can't begin the next chapter of your life if you continue to re-read the last one.

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