Accepting Who You Were, Embracing Who You Are, and Believing In Who You Will Become

 

We all need a little help staying positive sometimes.

So, here are some of my thoughts on how you can “deal” with your past, present and future.

 

 

The past. Accept who you were. Stop dwelling on it.

 

Accept… the bad things that happened to you.

 

Bad things happen to all of us, it’s a part of us that we can’t change. We must leave it in the past, where it belongs.

Let it be.

 

 

Concede… if it was your fault.

 

Maybe it was something you said or did. We all make mistakes, it’s time to forgive yourself.

Rise above this.

 

 

Understand… if it wasn’t your fault.

 

Stop blaming yourself and put the blame where it belongs and then forgive them and let them go (along with your guilt) for good.

Say goodbye.

 

 

Remember… the people who disappointed you.

 

It’s painful to remember the people we trusted with all of our secrets, and how they destroyed that trust like it was nothing. There are two painful choices when trust has been broken, forgive them or forget them.

Forgiving them doesn’t mean you must forget what they did but you must be willing to live with it. If you can’t live with it then, you must let them go.

Both choices are difficult.

 

 

Recognize… the ones who were always there for you.

 

Don’t take them for granted, they may not have been the ones you were hoping would always be there for you but the fact that they were there anyway, is amazing.

You know in your heart who they are.

 

 

Celebrate… the fact that you did it all alone.

 

Whether you wanted to be alone or not. You are here now and you did it by yourself. You should be proud of that and you are stronger then you thought.

Sometimes going it alone is the only way.

 

 

Remember… the times you were happy and the times you weren’t.

 

You are allowed to feel the joy and the pain. They belong to you. They need each other to survive.

Don’t deny your feelings, feel them.

 

 

The present. Embrace where you are today.

 

 

Decide… to keep moving forward.

 

You have made it this far so keep it up. Live in the present before it becomes your past.

Don’t waste your time or time will waste you.

 

 

Celebrate… your strength.

 

Make a list of your strengths, number one should be “I am a strong person”

Believe in yourself.

 

 

Live… in the now.

 

Don’t get stuck in your thoughts of the past or the future. Don’t long for the cupcake you had yesterday or worry if you will have a cupcake tomorrow, enjoy the cupcake you’re having right now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep… the positive people in your life.

 

Hold on to your support group and let go of toxic relationships. Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

Be yourself, your true self.

 

 

Stop… listening to your inner voice.

 

It may not be telling you the truth. If you wouldn’t say it to a loved one then it may not be a good thing to tell yourself.

Maybe it’s not the voice of “reason” your hearing.

 

 

Let go… of dreams that didn’t come true.

 

You can mourn the loss but you need to move towards a different dream. You can have more than one you know.

If it’s meant to be, it will be.

 

 

Accept… what is happening to you.

 

Face it, don’t run from it anymore. Remember you’re strong and you will overcome this challenge.

Be brave and bring it on.

 

 

The future. Visualize it.

 

 

Envision… your future.

 

It’s great to have a plan but nothing is set in stone. Be ready to change your course at any time. Adapt and go with the flow.

Life is a journey, not a destination.

 

 

Goals… do not set unrealistic ones.

 

Don’t set yourself up for failure. We all do this every New Year’s Day, it’s a trap! Set “real” expectations.

People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mind-mapping… what the heck is that?

 

It’s new to me too, it is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps in structuring information. Turns out, it is great for mental health too!

A map of your head.

 

 

 

Daydreaming… is good but doing it is even better.

 

It’s all about setting your mind to it. No excuses, do it!

Future you, gets shit done!

 

 

Write… a letter to the future you.

 

A letter of encouragement, a prediction or a thank you for sticking around.

Future me is an awesome chick, can’t wait to meet her.

 

 

Know… it’s never too late.

 

Opportunity is always there. Hear that knock at the door, its opportunity.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Opportunity. Opportunity who? Just open the damn door!

Wink 😉

 

 

Stay… curious.

 

Like when you were young. Old is a state of mind. You’re only as old as you feel and it can change from day to day. Some days I’m 20, some days I’m 50.

Rock your age baby!

 

 

So, those are some thoughts to keep in mind. Staying positive is difficult. Especially for those of us with mental health issues.

Believe me, when I say that life is a constant struggle for me. That’s why I sit next to the window on this struggle bus, seeing the beauty in the world helps keep me optimistic.

Although, one day I hope be driving this damn bus!