“Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.” -Denis Waitley, American motivational speaker and writer, consultant and best selling author.

So often we find ourselves living in the past.  We dwell on arguments, mistakes, what he said or she said.  Holding on to the past makes it impossible to move forward.  You cannot be in two places at once.

We’ve all experienced hard times and we’ve all made mistakes that we wish we could take back, but reliving these memories does nothing more than conjure up negative emotions and create a victim mentality. Continuously replaying a bad experience in our mind will not teach us anything new.

We have all traveled through some difficult storms but it would be more helpful if we become thankful for our experiences simply because they made us who we are today.  If not for certain negative experiences, we would not appreciate the good experiences in our lives today and all of the better ones that will follow.

Try to use your past as a reference and a guide that can help you determine where it is you want to go, what you want to avoid, and the types of people you want to surround yourself with.  After all, the past cannot be changed.

Everyday is brand new.  Try to focus your attention on creating new and happier experiences given the wisdom you already gained.

You have your whole life ahead of you and as you move forward, keep this in mind:

When something bad happens to you or if someone hurts you, express how you feel as soon as you are comfortable doing so. The sooner the better. It will be more beneficial if you do not sweep your feelings under the rug or try to run away from them. They could slowly eat away at you and continue to bother you in the future. It is always best to take care of problems as soon as they occur. It is always OK to tell people how you feel and what you are thinking as long as you say it in a considerate way. If you are angry, wait until you are feeling better. Fighting and yelling will only cause more things to possibly regret down the road.

About the Author: Michelle C. Ustaszeski-Hutchinson is the Founder and Executive Editor of The Teen Mentor, LLC, based in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. She is a Personal Development Expert and The Faciliator of Wisdom. As co-author of 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Michelle teamed with some of the top motivational gurus such as Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, and Joe Vitale in order to offer a compilation of self-improvement teachings. She has been quoted as a “Master of Success” among some of the worlds most famous thinkers and published in numerous books and on thousands of websites around the world. Read More…