Would you force a child to suffer pain and heartbreak? 

Would you ruthlessly remind your closest friend about every past mistake they ever made, every chance you got? 

Would you starve a puppy to keep it from growing and keep it from being happy? 

No, you probably wouldn't. 

Yet by not letting go of the past and not letting go of past hurts you force yourself to suffer pain and heartbreak, you ruthlessly remind yourself of every past mistake, and you starve yourself of growth and happiness.

IS THIS THE WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE?

LETTING GO 
Coming to terms with the past seems like the logical, intelligent thing to do. It's also a hard thing to do. But once you know you are truly willing to change, letting go will become less of a struggle. It will begin to seem more like a hike up a mountain.

Letting go will heal:
-that strong need to hold on 
-perfectionism 
-stress 
...and most importantly 
-EXPECTATIONS

All four of these concerns come from an image you have created in your mind of how things, others, or yourself should be.

Sometimes it's difficult to accept the truth and realize you have no control over it. What can be even more difficult is when you expect things in your world to fulfill your needs and make you happy, but you only find disillusionment. 

Stop being frightened of reality as though it were a darkened jungle. There is joy to be found in your life.

An expectation is just like a demand. Happiness will never survive if it is based on expectations. Only disappointment and frustration will manifest. And like trying to move a brick wall on your own, the experience will leave you tired and sad.

-Being needy pushes away what you truly want the most 

-Demands repulse. They cause resistance. They cause sacrifice.

Letting go releases: 
-judgement 
-guilt 
-loss 
-need 
-fear

When you finally let go of the past your true inner beauty will emerge again. You'll be setting your spirit free. You'll be able to set new goals and be open to new possibilities. You'll begin to let your life unfold as it was meant to.

You won't throw away the past. You won't lose it either. Letting go is simply a way to put things into perspective.

LIVING IN THE MOMENT 
The most incredible thing about letting go of the past is that it brings you back to the present. You can now live in the moment.

Living in the moment is the best solution to any problem you may have because it has a way of taking you out of the hindrance you are experiencing.

Imagine you are stuck in a traffic jam. 

You close your eyes just for a moment. When you open them, you are no longer caged within the chaos. You are now on a sailboat gliding on the ocean. 

You are flowing within the moment. You can spend your time thinking about the past. You can spend your time fantasizing about the future. But you can only live in the present. Every problem you feel you have consists of something that either happened in the past, or something that could happen in the future. 

You keep your problems active by giving them attention and energy in the present moment. It's the most effective way of destroying any chance for happiness because you're using the past and/or the future as a means of control to stop yourself from being happy. 

If you'd like, answer the following question. As with past issues, you can e-mail with your response or you can answer it privately. 

-What 3 things have you done recently that has made your present life better? 

THE TRICK IS TO ALWAYS KEEP THINGS SIMPLE 

Living in the moment takes self-discipline. Like most things, it's a skill you learn and then you make it a part of your life. 

Living in the moment is all about 3 things: 

-appreciating what you have created in your life 
-expressing gratitude for all that makes up your life 
-and helping others who need your love and support

FINAL THOUGHTS 
"Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is." 
-psychologist Erich Fromm

As I end this issue, I send you love and light. As you heal I will be with you to give you the warmth and goodness you have offered to the world in days past, present, and future. 
Until next time...be well

Forever always,
Wendy