Sometimes it’s difficult to move forward in life when we are held hostage by our past. Sometimes our past shows up in the form of limiting thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. Other times our past trauma and negative experiences can immobilize us to the point that we struggle to see who we are beyond what we have endured. In order for us to experience true growth and real progress in life, we have to give ourselves permission to allow our past to refine us, not define us. From now on, I want you to look to the future for inspiration, and your past for appreciation.

 

You are probably thinking, “okay friend, you are crazy” how can I possibly appreciate some of the most difficult and challenging aspects of my life? It’s quite simple actually, you look at those things regardless of how hard and or hurtful they were and you look for the lesson. 

 

Ask yourself: 

What did I learn from that? 

How does that experience serve me today?

What did that teach me that has helped me grow and evolve to this point?

 

When you are able to view your past in a positive light, when you are able to appreciate the hard things for making you resilient, for making you strong, for helping you gain knowledge and insight that helped you make the decisions in life that lead you to where you are today. When we can look to our past for appreciation we immediately release the restraints it has held over our lives. When we are able to reframe the context of those experiences we actually create new pathways in the brain that allow us to for new associated thoughts and feelings. 

What parts of your past do you need to explore? What parts of your past do you need to apply those questions to so that you are able to appreciate even the most challenging circumstances? I wholeheartedly invite you to do this today. You will feel the difference this type of work evokes.

 

Now let’s look forward. Looking to your future with inspiration is one of the most empowering things that you can do. Sometimes we fear the future because of the unknown, and other times, we struggle to see the future at all because we are buried in our current state of emotion. However, when you think about what is next for you in life, when you think about where you are going, and what you are going to do— it should inspire the HECK out of you. Look to the future with inspiration of who you will become, and the value you will add to others. Allow the future version of yourself, inspire and ignite a fire in the current version of yourself. Allow that future version to inspire the work you need to put in to grow into who you are meant to become.

 

Gosh, just typing that inspires me. The future version is calling on you to lead up, and lead in, to step up, show up, and do the things that are going to lead you directly to her/him. Stepping into your greatness, starts with looking ahead for the footprints of where you are going, and moving in that direction.

 

Your past has prepared you, now your future anticipates you. 

 

Don’t hesitate….take action now. The world needs who you are meant to be. 

 

With Love, 

AG