Forgiving Yourself: Learning from the Mistakes of the Past

Forgiving yourself for past mistakes can feel like an impossible task. But staying stuck in a cycle of guilt isn’t going to fix things either. Remember, no one is perfect. Not one single person. Everyone currently walking the earth is guilty of past mistakes, whether they hurt, lied, cheated, or broke the law. No one is 100 percent innocent, and it's vital to understand that it's okay. You can still come to terms with the mistakes of your past, and even turn them into positive motivation for your future. Start today. 

Stop Trying to Live in the Past

If you live in the past, your present has no chance of success. Obsessing over the wrongs you've committed won't make them better. It just makes you miserable. Rather than constantly thinking about what you should have done or what you'd do differently if you had the chance, practice some self-compassion and focus on the things you can do now. Having a heart to heart with a psychic can help you decide on the most useful things to try.

Coming to terms with the past means letting go, but there is a step-by-step process you have to follow. Start by rooting your feet firmly in the present. Life isn't a cute comedy such as 17 Again or 13 Going on 30. All you have is now.

1. Own the Mistakes You Made

Your mistakes are your mistakes. Your reactions are your reactions. If something happened in the past with a friend or family member, don't focus on what the other person said or did. You may think, "I would have reacted better if my friend hadn't said that to me," or believe that you wouldn't have made a wrong choice if your mom supported you. Stop it. You're responsible for your own mistakes. Let other people worry about themselves, you need to own what you've done. Also, one neat thing about owning your mistakes is that it sets the stage for a spiritual awakening that can make the next few steps much easier.

2. Do Your Best to Make Amends

Apologizing is always hard, even if something happened several years ago. However, making amends for past words and deeds is essential for you to move on from your past. Overcoming guilt and shame is much easier when you know that you’ve done the work to make things right. Are you having trouble finding the strength to apologize? You have to humble yourself, which is sometimes difficult. A series of authentic psychic readings may help you lay down your pride, woman up, and say you're sorry for what you've done. Doing so will instantly lift a weight off your shoulders.

3. Focus on What You've Learned

Every mistake is a learning experience. If you made impetuous decisions, lashed out in the heat of anger, or betrayed someone close to you, recognize that you did something wrong. Owning your mistakes is hard and making amends for your behavior is even harder, but these are learning experiences. Remember, those who don't learn from the past are always doomed to repeat it. Inner peace is much more achievable when you internalize life lessons instead of repeating them. Learn from your mistakes and learn from what you've done to repair them.

4. Use Your Experiences as Motivation

Self-forgiveness and the pursuit of a meaningful life go hand in hand. Since every mistake is a lesson learned, you can use yours to motivate you. By recognizing that you've done something for which you need to apologize, you won't make that mistake in the future. Your mistakes may even motivate you to change your life, your career, and your relationships.

You may wish you never made mistakes, but they're actually good things as long as you learn from what you've done. Have your past mistakes made you a better person? It’s never too late to make choices that will help you be better. Rediscovering joy after a history of trauma is possible, even if the choices you made because of that trauma weren’t so great. You deserve a better tomorrow, so take the lessons of the past with you while leaving behind the guilt.