We all have been through hardships in life that has caused us to lose sight or faith in things that once were. As individuals, we find ourselves dwelling on situations that cause us grief and have difficulty moving forward. We have all been hurt. It is an unfortunate part of life that is bound to happen. The question then becomes, how do I move forward from the hurt? Would you prefer to find your happiness again? Or do you prefer to live in a constant state of turmoil and endless suffering? We find ourselves searching for answers or losing hope and begin blaming others and ourselves for the hardships that we are living in or have dealt with in the past. When we get stuck in this place of hurt, we block ourselves from happiness and joy that we could have with future endeavors. One must learn to acknowledge the hurtful event, and make the necessary concessions to move forward. Below are 5 ways to move forward from past hurt.
- Acknowledge the Past- This is one of the most difficult things to do. We understand that there is a hardship that has occurred, but acknowledging and accepting that it happened can be a difficult task. In order to move forward, we have to acknowledge where we are coming from.
- Change Your Perception- In times of grief and hurt, we find ourselves question why things happen. Changing our perception can help us to move forward. This does not mean that we are forgetting a loved one or forgetting circumstances that have happened, but more so looking at the blessing that can come from the circumstances. For instance, going through grief from the family member that lost their battle to cancer. As I have dealt with this same hardship, I had to learn that although I am feeling a sense of emptiness with that person not being with me any further, she is not in a constant sense of pain any further. This thought alone has helped ease the pain that I have felt over the years.
- Cry It Out- One of the stages of grief is anger. Through this stage we find ourselves bottling in emotions. It is ok to cry it out. Crying is a natural way of releasing tension. Some find themselves or believe others will perceive them as weak if they cry. That statement is false. It is natural and ok if the emotion that you display from hurt comes out through tears.
- Identify what the experience has taught you- Maybe there is a lesson that can be learned from the hurt that you have experienced whether it is to not engage in a relationship with someone who exhibits the same characteristics from the past relationship. Or maybe seeing characteristics of others that you do not want to carry on.
- Let Go of Stress- Find an activity to engage in that helps you to relax. This could be working out, yoga, painting, etc. The key is to engage in something that helps to restore a sense of happiness back into your life. Written By: Constance West