Why do I have trouble letting go of the past?

Many of us get stuck in the past because of our need for certainty. Certainty is a human need and is fundamentally about survival. We need to feel certain that we can avoid pain and, ideally, find comfort in our lives. We also like to have some degree of certainty about our lives and letting go of the past means stepping out of our comfort zone into the unknown. It takes courage to let go of what is familiar, even if it is negative, and be vulnerable enough to learn how to let go of past mistakes. As long as there remain emotions tied to a memory of a past event, moving on is difficult if not impossible. We remain blocked until we can identify the emotions attached to an event that impacts negatively upon us and release them. For some people, learning how to let go of the past may be an ultimate challenge, but with genuine effort and a sense of courage, we can break free of our fear of the uncertainty we experience when we let go. We can move forward and create anew. Taking the initiative to face the challenge of learning how to let go of the past is brave and empowering, and lays the foundation for living a freer and more meaningful life.