Are you letting your past determine your present?

The past is history regardless of its positives or negatives. Right now, this moment, this day is all you have or are guaranteed.  Will you live it with maturity, wisdom and common sense or will you let the mistakes, regrets, failures or challenges from the past alter or negatively impact what could be the opportunities that come to you today?

Sooner or later we all do dumb things, things in hindsight we regret, that’s life as none of us are without flaws or are perfect.  If you take risks sooner or later you will fail at something – a career, relationship, financial situation or any other life issue – let me repeat – that’s life and the only way to avoid mistakes, failure or problems in any way is to lock yourself in a log cabin in Vermont and stare at the birds all day.

I won’t bore you with all of my failures during my life cause if I did I’ll guarantee you would stop reading and say, “why should I listen to your council – you are a poor example of how to live life successfully.”

OK, you’re right but let me add that unless you are willing to fail and make mistakes you will learn very little about how life works and how to overcome and eventually win.

Why do people let past mistakes or failure have a negative influence on today’s actions, decisions, choices or behavior?  Well, I’m not a psychologist, but just a student in life and I believe it’s for one or several of the following reasons.

1)   They live every day with fear as their primary motivator.

2)   They worry too much about the approval of others.

3)   They need to have control of every aspect of life.

4)   They let their ego’s rule their life decisions and actions.

5)   They have low self-esteem or self-confidence.

6)   They believe failure is negative.

7)   They are unwilling to take full responsibility for their actions or choices.

8)   They have a dramatic sense of entitlement.

9)   They are constantly in blame mode.

10)They have a mindset of risk avoidance.

11)They feel inadequate or unworthy as an individual.

12)They give up control of their life to others or circumstances.

13)They stopped learning when they left high school.

14)They fear rejection.

15)They have a self-righteous attitude.

Any one of these behaviors or mindsets will contribute to letting your past have a negative influence on your todays.  Are you willing to honestly evaluate each of these and face reality and how you might be letting yesterday impact today due to any of the above reasons?