Dealing with the past is like using the rear view mirror in your car. It is good to glance at it, but if you obsess too much about what is behind you then you are going to crash your car! When you have experienced losses due to mergers, life, markets, etc. that are outside of your control it is critical to look at what you have lost and then to eventually let go of the pain of that loss.
Tom Brokaw once said, “I think we honor ourselves by honoring our past.” We agree with that quote completely. This is why symbolic activities like Memorial Day are critical. There are things that we should not forget. They deserve our respect and honor.
At the same time it is not very honorable to allow bitterness about our losses to ruin our lives or the lives of those around us. Leo Buscaglia writes, “Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing which keeps you from hope and love?”
To create a productive and successful life we must honor our past, but never get stuck in it. In tough times we must put our focus on the future and take responsibility for creating the life we want. So when the past pops up allow yourself to acknowledge it with your head and your heart. Then turn your attention away from “what happened to you” and toward “who you are.” Honor your past by living your life now with integrity, passion and focus.
Quote of the week “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
