Episode 150: How to Let Go of the Past

<span style='font-weight: 400;'>Your past matters—even though the personal growth industry is obsessed with the</span> <em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>future you</span></em> <span style='font-weight: 400;'>at the expense of the</span> <em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>past</span></em> <em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>you</span></em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>. In that world, the only real change and movement in your life come from looking forward, setting goals, and</span> <em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>just doing it</span></em> <span style='font-weight: 400;'>as I talked about in</span> <a href='https://live-happier.com/148-the-adventure-of-fully-showing-up-as-a-human-being/'> <span style='font-weight: 400;'>Episode 148.</span></a> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>But I believe that it’s OK to have a past. </span></p> <p><a href='https://live-happier.com/146/'><span style='font-weight: 400;'>It’s OK to be perfectly imperfect</span></a><span style='font-weight: 400;'>.</span></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>It’s OK to share stories from your past. </span></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>It’s OK to have trauma and pain in your past. </span></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>It’s OK to have a joyful past, too.</span></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>The bottom line?</span> <strong>You cannot ignore your past. </strong></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>If you do, it will creep up on you in the personification of your Monger as your parents or in the way you talk to your kids or how you interact with your spouse. Your past plays a role in your current life—period. </span></p> <p><span style='font-weight: 400;'>It’s immensely powerful to face our stories—to look them dead in the face and slowly release their power through patience and compassion for ourselves.</span> <em><span style='font-weight: 400;'>That’s how you live happier.</span></em></p> <p><strong>Listen to the full episode to hear:</strong></p> <ul> <li style='font-weight: 400;'><span style='font-weight: 4