The wounds of the past can mar and scar the joys of the present if you’re not careful. 

Betrayal, emotional or physical infidelity, broken promises, failure, loss, divorce, and harsh words, to name a few, can all take their toll. 

How often do people bring baggage from the past into their present relationships and marriages? It happens all the time. It creates problems where there are none. It ruins love, joy, and peace. 

The ugly parts of the past have a way of wrapping their clinging chains to you like an anchor. You carry the weight of those chains into every experience. 

Whatever you do, don’t be chained to the past. Learn and grow from it, but don’t let it ruin or keep you from unlocking your best life and marriage. 

You have the power and privilege to release yourself from those burdensome, heart-crushing chains and be free. 

Choose To Move On

Breaking free from the past isn’t easy. It’s one of the biggest challenges people face. Whether it was a mistake, heartbreak, betrayal, or trauma, your life experiences impact your emotional, mental, and relational well-being. 

Dwelling on the past keeps you anchored in your pain. It keeps you from living in the here and now. 

You can’t do anything about the past. But you can do something about today.

The first step to breaking those chains is acknowledging your past and accepting it. 

Confront the unresolved emotions and pain you’ve buried deep. This will require self-reflection, prayer, God’s divine power and intervention, and courage. By facing your past head-on, you remove its power over your present moment and the future. 

Choose To Forgive

Forgiveness is another step to breaking those chains. 

Forgive others. Forgive yourself. Make peace and start living again.

Let go of grudges. Release hurt. Let God and His grace sweep it all away.

If someone hurt or wronged you, forgiving them isn’t forgetting the harm they caused you. 

It doesn’t mean making up and being friends again either, and trusting them again.

Forgiveness is choosing to let go of painful emotions that keep you chained to the past. 

Forgiveness is for you.

Choose To Be Nice

You’re kind and compassionate to your friends. So why not be kind and compassionate to yourself, too? Be understanding and gracious to yourself.

You treat them with gentleness and grace, but you are your worst enemy—your harshest critic. You hold yourself to an impossible standard and give yourself all kinds of grief when you slip up. 

Self-compassion provides a safe, nurturing environment that fosters healing and growth. 

Choose To Embrace The Present

It’s hard to appreciate the gift of the present when worshipping at the altar of the past. 

Mindfulness, being fully present in a spirit of optimism, appreciation, and gratitude, breaks the chains of the past. 

Mindfulness focuses on the present moment, observing your thoughts without judgment, and acknowledging your feelings without opinion.

Prayer, meditation, deep breathing, and reading the Bible can give you the ability and strength to let go of the past, dismiss intrusive thoughts, and the hopeful reassurance you need in this moment. 

Choose To Set Boundaries

Boundaries protect you from people who take more than they give, negative behaviors, and repeating patterns. Boundaries create a healthy and supportive space that fosters positive change and growth. 

Final Thoughts: Choose To Break Your Chains 

Breaking with the past is never easy, but it is possible, even necessary. This post outlines a simple step-by-step plan. Committing to the process requires a combination of self-awareness and forgiveness, self-compassion, mindfulness, and boundary-setting. 

Keep a forward-focused mindset because this journey will require resilience and dedication. In return, your life will be free from the burdens of the past and filled with endless opportunities. As you let go of the past, you open yourself to growth and healing and begin unlocking your potential.