Living in the past can either mean reliving your previous victories or defeats. Neither is a very enjoyable way to live. The past doesn’t need to be a limiting, self-imposed prison. Avoid letting your earlier years taint the future. It’s unnecessary to continue reliving painful experiences.

In Philippians 3:13 Paul said, his main focus was to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. He had a mission to accomplish. Most of us may know about Paul's horrible past. Yet, he did not allow his past to take him down a guilty path. He pressed on to the mark that was set before him. 

The past is largely responsible for who you are today. But are you allowing it to define you?

Consider these ideas for how to break free from the past:

1. Learn from your past missteps. The great thing about your past is all the opportunities to learn. You can look back and take note of your strengths and weaknesses. Even better, you can note the types of errors you tend to make and ...

 I listen to my heart. I make choices that are in tune with my true values and beliefs. 

Connecting with my genuine self reduces my stress levels. My tensions dissolve. I enjoy all my activities more. I feel at ease everywhere I go. 

Being true to myself makes my relationships more rewarding. I say what I feel and let others get to know me. I encourage them to seek the same freedom. We all benefit from greater understanding and intimacy.

Most of all, I rejoice in leading a more fulfilling life because I know that I am beautifully and wonderfully made in the image of my God my Father.

I listen for my internal motivation rather than responding automatically to external expectations. I approach each task with great care and look for the meaning behind it. I see how my actions can serve others.

I identify my strengths. I refine my skills and use them to make the world a better place.

I accept my vulnerabilities. They are a part of my true self. When I make a mistake, I...

Life is full of situations where it can be difficult to say what we really think but silence sometimes comes at a high cost.

 In a recent article in the British newspaper The Guardian, a nurse reported that failing to express our true emotions is one of the most common deathbed regrets.

 Read on to discover the major benefits of speaking your mind and constructive ways to get started. 

Benefits of Expressing Your Emotions

1. Lead a fuller life. Dare to take on difficult issues. You’ll learn more about yourself, your loved ones and the world around you. Taking on more challenges will help you discover your true potential.
2. Become more authentic. If you habitually suppress your true feelings, you may become unfamiliar with them yourself. Get to know the real you and accept yourself for who you are.
3. Banish your fears. Fear and anxiety build up when we try to shelter ourselves from difficult truths rather than facing them directly. When you see yourself successfully...

Sooner or later a question shows up in your mind that you just can’t answer. You dismiss it many times, but it keeps coming back. It’s like a stone in your shoe. First, it’s just an irritation, but left unanswered it becomes a blister, and if that’s left unanswered, pretty soon you have an infection.

 The question that we all face at some point is this: Is this what life is all about for me? Surely there’s more than this! Where have I gone wrong? What can I do? I don’t want my life to be like this.

 We’ve all had it. Frustration, anxiety, lack of fulfilment, doubt, and indecision. They all seem to show up with monotonous regularity, don’t they? And they will continue to show up until you CHANGE something.

 Living Authentically

 When you get right down to it, what most people want is to live a peaceful, happy life and make more money than they need to spend each month. That’s all. Then they could spend time...