Rewriting Your Past

We all have a past, and unless you are superhuman, we all have had things happen in our past or done things that we are not proud of. 

These poignant memories of our past are usually accompanied by a set of repeated thoughts and emotions. It's those two things that make that memory so strong in your mind. 

Today I want to talk about rewriting the past.

When we look at our problems whether they are in the past or present, we have the facts, and then we have the drama. The drama is all the things we tell ourselves that it means. It's the excuses that we use of why we can't do something because of our past. 

Here's an example. I'll never have a successful marriage because I grew up a child of divorce. I'll never be good with money because I grew up poor and I have lots of debt. 

Let's start with the fact that, The past only exists as sentences in your head.

Yes, take that in. It's true. It's powerful. 

The event or circumstance of the past is over. The only thing that remains is that story in your head. It's the story that you tell yourself or others as to why or how that happened and what it did to you.

That pain of that event of the past is over. If you are experiencing pain presently it's because of the thoughts you are choosing to think about that event. If you want to learn more about how your thoughts create your feelings read this blog article. The good news is that you can change how you feel by changing your thoughts. 

If you keep telling yourself those stories of your past that limit you, it's hard to move forward, and you will most likely create more of the past. 

Here are a few other examples.

I can't do something in the future because I haven't done it in the past. I can't have a successful relationship because I've never had one in the past. I can't lose weight because I've never successfully dieted before. 

Let's get to rewriting your past:

1. When you recall one of these events I want you to write down the story that you tell, about how life happened TO you.
2. When you are finished ask yourself does this story serve me?
3. Next, I want you to re-write the story of the past in a way that serves you, in a way that it supports the future that you want. Remember, we are the creators of our lives, you get to write your own story. Write it in a way that that benefits you, how that event happened for you, and from a place of abundance.

When we indulge in the drama of our past or problems we create what in life coaching is called dirty pain, which is suffering. It's the why me, or victim thinking, or it's not fair, or it shouldn't happen this way. This thought pattern doesn't help you process it and move on. It keeps you stuck in that loop.

Perhaps, that past event of not getting into medical school led you to find your true passion in life. Maybe you met your significant other at your job that you never would have should you have gotten into med school. 

If you have read The Beautiful No, by Sheri Salata, she shares how being denied a job she thought was perfect for her allowed her the opportunity to work with Oprah. She could write that story of how being denied that other job opportunity meant she was not qualified, good enough, would never be successful. Instead, she rewrote her story in a way that served her. She realized that experience, although negative,  led to something better.

I hope that you can see how it's possible to change the story in your head about an event in the past. You can use this tool for past events in your childhood, events in the recent past, and even in future events.

For those in the future, it's helpful to think that this is happening for you. If you don't get X result then something better will come, or you will learn but you will not fail. 

Ok that's it for today.... Until next time.