How to stop dwelling on the past.

Learn and move on.

Author

New Mentalities
July 25, 2024

Friend, I sent an email a couple of weeks back about failure.

The title was "My Favorite Teacher".

In response to that email, one of my subscribers asked:

How do you stop dwelling on the past? It’s consumed the last 8 months of my life.

I think this is an answer that'll help everyone.

So rather than respond privately, I'll send it to you too.

Now let's get something straight before I dive in.

I'm not an expert, therapist, life coach etc.

When you need professional and certified help, get it.

However, this is a question I resonate deeply with because I've been stuck in that dark hole before.

I dwelled on every mistake I made in the past.

As a result, self-loathing began to consume me.

I spoke to myself like shit and I treated my mind and body like shit.

And then the self-destruction cycle begins.

Until you stop reliving the mistakes of your past and focus on the moments of today, that cycle will continue to eat you up.

It'll tear down whatever progress or potential you possess.

Replaying a situation over and over again in your head is not a productive way to live.

It’s like living life as a GIF playing again and again.

Now, how do we stop our brain from dwelling on past negatives?

Here are some suggestions:

Keep a growing, ongoing list of everything you are grateful for:

Gratitude primes your mind to notice when good things happen.

Make a habit of this and you'll begin to focus on the good more than the bad.

Practice Mindfulness:

Being present in the moment can help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

The past is gone and the future is directly related to what you're doing right this moment.

I recommend reading The Power of Now to learn more about how to live a happy and healthier life in the present moment.

Everyone's in the same boat:

Accept you made mistakes, and so do billions of other people every single day.

Keep affirming that to yourself until you start believing it.

The world is much bigger than the past negatives in your head.

Treat yourself with care:

I can't lie, this is the tip I found most helpful personally.

It's easy to call yourself "stupid" over a mistake you made.

It's easy to cringe at what you've done and belittle yourself as a result.

But please, STOP DOING THAT.

When you talk to yourself like this, you begin to believe it.

Your confidence takes a hit.

Your physique takes a hit.

You need to love and care for your mind and body.

They’re the most permanent thing in your life.

Eat well. Prioritize you. Do what makes you feel good.

I hope this email resonated with you.

Reply and let me know if you enjoyed it 🙏

Much love,

Mason - Founder of New Mentalities

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