“To heal a wound, we must stop scratching it. “

~ Paulo Coelho

Our past experiences are important. To a degree they shape us, teach invaluable lessons, and provide considerable insight. It can be therapeutic practice; a means to reflect, to learn, to grow.

But we have to be careful not to stay there.

While our past is a reflective tool, it does not define us. It does not determine our future. And it certainly doesn’t have the power to keep us from moving forward.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV

We must be willing to let go of the past, allow its wounds to heal, in order to realize the potential in our future.

It’s ok to look back, contemplate, and reflect; but don’t allow yourself to stay there.