I was having a conversation with my daughter yesterday about a mutual friend that has had a difficult life and can't seem to move on. It really made me think about my own life and how often, even though I know better, I let my past creep into my present. I think that it's nearly impossible to completely let go of old habitual thinking because certain people and places trigger thoughts. The important thing is being aware of what you are thinking. I thought this picture was appropriate because we all carry our past around with us to some degree.

Everything in your life is changing right now. Life is about moving forward. Things are changing even if your mind is still focusing on the past. Every moment is a new beginning; you get to start over and over and over every second. The light always follows the darkness, but sometimes we totally forget about this because we are still reliving things that happened yesterday or even years ago. Some people spend their entire life coping with one or two events from the past, keeping them from moving forward. The past can't be changed and doesn't exist any more. All you have is this present moment. You can let go of unpleasant or painful events from your past even if you have to decide to do it every day. Life will continue to present you with opportunities to begin to let go and move forward. The choice is...continue to feel the pain of past situations or let go and be open to the opportunities that are being given to you now.

Trusting that the Universe has your back isn't always easy because fear of the unknown can be overwhelming, but through meditation and constantly being aware of your thoughts, you can begin to create new habits. Once you see that the Universe really does have your back and good things begin to happen, trusting is easier. You will feel a sense of freedom, because living in the past can feel like being in a prison. It's not always important where your journey will lead you; what is important is that you enjoy the journey. Happiness gives you the inspiration you need to be free from the prison of your thoughts. I'm not saying that this is easy, but it is crucial to the unfolding of the rest of your life! Letting go of damaging thoughts and being present in the now takes practice!

It might sound cheesey to say that "today is the first day of the rest of your life", but it's really true. Your life will inevitably end, and today is important. Today, you can start to live a life that is better than yesterday and you can choose that every day!

Take care of yourself, Be kind to yourself, Savor the good times in your life, Be aware of negative thoughts and try to choose better ones, Remember that you are not alone on your journey!

In case you need a little more inspiration - I highly recommend these books!