I’d like to demonstrate the importance of making the most of every moment, because life is short and death eternal. But even if we know that the key to happiness lies in the present moment, it’s hard to live it to the full. Particularly when the ghosts of the past keep tormenting us. Indeed, memories of the past, regrets and melancholy often intrude deeply into our personal or professional relationships, and not always for the better.

So much so, in fact, that they become real burdens. They paralyze us and prevent us from enjoying our successes, keeping us prisoners of our failures or our glorious moments. To get rid of these harmful ties, it’s important, even essential, to learn to forget the past.

Why is it important to forget the past?

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that the past can help you move forward. Provided you use it to evolve.

In fact, many psychologists agree that looking back on your past life can sometimes be life-saving. It’s important to know what you’ve done wrong and what you’ve done right, so that you can better understand the present.

What’s more, it’s only by analyzing the good things you’ve done, as well as the not-so-good ones, the milestones and the events that filled you with joy, but sometimes also with great sadness, that you’ll be able to turn the page and write a new one. But don’t forget that the past can be a handicap, preventing you from moving forward. What’s more, constantly dwelling on the past can be devastating for your mental well-being. Not only does it put you in a bad mood and cause you to accumulate a lot of unnecessary mental stress. But it can even lead to a full-blown depression. Finally, living in the past means forgetting the present moment.

In this sense, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche even said: “no happiness, no serenity, no hope, no pride, no enjoyment of the present moment could not exist without the possibility of forgetting.” Indeed, the memory of the past can be so heavy that it destroys the moment to be lived. But the present is the only moment that truly belongs to you. It’s not before, it’s here and now that everything happens and opportunities develop. So it’s by knowing how to enjoy the present moment and learning to forget the past that you’ll be able to see all the beautiful possibilities that are just waiting for you.

Enjoying the present moment: all the benefits!

In theory, many of us know that time is fleeting. And above all, how important it is to enjoy every moment of our lives and stop living in the past. In reality, however, it’s hard not to get caught up in the ups and downs of life. Some people will do anything except live in the here and now. However, if you want a happy life, you have to learn to enjoy the present moment. But also stop fighting the past. Not only because each moment is unique and will never be repeated. But above all because each moment is decisive for your happiness.

In fact, have you ever noticed that people who manage to make the most of every moment tend to be happier? The reason is simple! When you stop living in the past, you realize that your life is perfect just as it is. And even if it wasn’t, you realize that it’s not too late to change things. Your actions and decisions here and now can influence your future.

What’s more, a study by Northeastern and Harvard researchers has shown that living intensely in the present moment makes us better people. Indeed, a person who doesn’t stay anchored in the past all the time is more apt to show empathy towards others. It also leads to greater self-confidence.

But how can we forget the past?

Forgetting the past and, above all, moving on are within everyone’s grasp, provided you give yourself the means to do so effectively. In fact, there’s no magic formula for making you forget your past and the moments you’ve lived through. As with any change in your life, forgetting the past requires effort and a number of changes. Not least in your way of thinking and seeing things. To help you negotiate the twists and turns, here are a few tips:

FORGIVE YOURSELF
Sometimes the hardest part of moving on from a painful past is finding the courage to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for your mistakes, forgive yourself for not having been able to do better, etc. But when you live with these feelings of guilt, you’re going to be consumed by a flood of negativity buried deep inside you. This, in turn, leads to a nagging, penetrating sense of unease. Learning to forgive yourself is therefore an important step in moving forward and freeing yourself from the shackles of the past.

MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST
You need to understand that to look straight ahead, you must first agree to make peace with your past. It’s not always easy, but it’s necessary. To be able to take this step, you need to face up to your feelings and memories. It’s not by refusing to feel certain negative emotions that you’ll be able to erase them. As the saying goes, it’s when you hit rock bottom that you bounce back. And believe it or not, this rule also applies to feelings.

LEARN TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE HERE AND NOW
Martin Luther once said: “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” In other words, when memories knock at the door of your consciousness, you must welcome them. But then you have to let them go, so that you can return to the present moment. You can do this by practicing mindfulness meditation. This meditation technique involves concentrating on the ebb and flow of the breath. The aim is to release tension in your body and clear your head.

Finally, remember that every moment of your life is like a blank page – it’s up to you to decide what you’re going to write! So, are you finally ready to forget the past?