Preventing A Past Mistake Determining Your Future

 

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We all make mistakes in life; it's part of the human condition. However, our mistakes in the past can weigh heavily on us and impede us from going ahead if we’re not careful.

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It's essential to remember that the past is simply that: the past. And that the decisions we make now will decide our future, so you can always start making better ones. 

This can sound like wishful thinking if you’re embroiled in a difficulty or if a mistake has truly altered the course of your life, but remember, you only have to live one day at a time and you’re capable of making the best decisions now in moving forward, always.

In this post, we'll look at how to avoid letting previous mistakes define your future and how to move on and create constructive adjustments to your decision making:

Let Mistakes Stay In The Past, But Learn From Them

Learning from past mistakes is the first step in preventing them from dictating your future. Take a step back and consider what went wrong and what you can do differently next time. This might sound too simple to do, but it can help you ensure the mistake was redeemed as you go forward in life, and that it doesn’t have to be a defining part of your story. You can also use means to help you lessen the effects of the mistake, be that criminal defense lawyers like Sitkoff & Hanrahan, LLP, or heading to alcoholic recovery sessions once a week.

Guilt & Shame Don’t Have To Weigh You Down

Holding on to guilt and shame over past mistakes might stymie your progress. It's natural to feel guilty or ashamed about previous mistakes, but it's critical to let those sentiments go. Instead, try to concentrate on what you've learned and how you can apply what you've learned to make better decisions in the future.

Don’t ruminate, instead take action. For instance, if you’re sad that you’ve lived your life unfit and unhealthy to the detriment of a condition you’ve now developed, you can still work on your wellness and feel better as you move forward from week to week. Just don’t let your past define who you are and what you have to do today.

You’re Allowed To Move On

It's time to move on after you've learned from your mistakes and let go of any guilt or shame. Make a strategy and create small, attainable goals for yourself. Take each day as it comes, and keep in mind that growth is not necessarily linear. Every day is a new chance to make positive changes and build a brighter future.

From there, you can perhaps help others in the same situation. Even ex-gang members or addicts can volunteer to help those in a tough spot, or regularly attend invited talks to speak of their experiences and discuss how they found a better future. Perhaps you can take that inspiring example and benefit yourself with your personal circumstances, refining a new perspective for the future.

So, don't let your mistakes in the past hold you back. Learn from their mistakes, let go of any feelings of guilt or shame, and concentrate on moving forward and making worthwhile improvements to your day to day. You’ll thank yourself for the effort.