“To go beyond where we are now, we must let go of what we have been.” Linda Howe
When I first read that quote above, I had to sit with it for a bit.
If I want to get beyond where I am, I must let go of who I’ve been.
That hit deep. Because we tend to attach so much identity to our past, who we are, where we’ve been, our experiences and the beliefs we formed through those experiences.
To truly go beyond, we have to be willing to give all that up. Start with a clean slate, let go of what’s holding us back to welcome in what will propel us forward.
For me, I had to look at what I was still holding onto that holds me back. We all do this. Attach identities and stories to past experiences, which shapes who we are today. To go beyond that, to grow and evolve, we have to release those old stories and patterns that keep us stuck.
This is tremendously hard to do as it means I have to take ownership of my life and be accountable for all my actions and habits. It’s hard and daunting, but also well worth it when you look back and realize how far you've come.
And many times, you wouldn’t have come that far if you hadn’t given up something to get there.
Try it and see how it works for you.