For all of you who are holding onto the past, it is time to let go, release, and free yourself from that bondage. Living in the past can take many forms, so here are a couple ways that we lived in the past and possible ways to let go and start living for the future.
Debt
When you are in debt you are definitely living in the past. Debt is paying today for what you did yesterday or in the past. This is a terrible way to live. Why would anyone want to pay for yesterdays dinner, tomorrow? So here is how to break the cycle… If you cannot pay for it with cash, DO NOT DO IT!!! It is that simple. There are plenty of free activities to do in every town and neighborhood. For example; I run, usually about 5 miles. This will take me about 45 minutes plus time to warm up and cool down. It cost me nothing and I get some much needed exercise. I also eat most meals at home. These meals are usually healthier and cost less to prepare. Plus, I have a lot of food at the house, which, if I don’t eat will just be thrown in the trash. Make coffee at home, it is really expensive to go to the coffee shop. Watch movies you already won, read a book, get to know your neighbors, sit in a lawn chair and enjoy the afternoon. Write a letter to a friend (not an email). There are many things to do that cost little money to do and give a sense of fulfillment. Getting out of debt is really about changing habits.
Relationships
Many of us hold on to past relationships. This is a tough one, but you cannot move forward if you hold on to the past. Let it go and move on. If you have difficulty, seek professional help. But really, some relationships are not good and never were, so let it go and move forward to a better relationship and a better life.
Clean out the old
This is a fun one and can actually create some money. Have a garage sale or sign up for one of the apps to sell old stuff. A good rule of thumb is, if you haven’t used or worn it in 6 months, get rid of it. You can donate to your favorite charity or Goodwill or sell the items. I recently sold a lot of stuff and was happy to see it go. I reduced the clutter in my life by doing this. Some things you will want to keep for sentimental reasons, be judicious about this and simply keep the things that really matter.
Ultimately, when you clean out the old stuff you make room for new and possibly better. This is true of relationships, furniture, etc. So, is it time for you to clean out the old? It was for me.