It can be so easy to say we can’t do something because of an incident in our past. It’s a great excuse to blame history for our future doom.

I was watching Oprah last week, and she shared a story about a young man who attempted to rob a cash advance store. The young man did not end up robbing the store. The woman in the store, Angela, was calm, patient, and, although terrified, also loving. Oprah interviewed Angela and the robber for her show. Angela said these words to the young man:

“Don’t let the past stop you from being great in the future.” --Angela Montez

See the video for yourself. (You can hear her quote at 1:10 in the video.)

Wow. My world came to a halt when I heard those words. I believed her. He can get past this incident. He will likely go to prison. He will serve time for what he did. Then he will be released. He can then move on. He has a little girl at home who needs him.

I reflected on Angela’s words. If I believed that this man could create a better future for himself, why can it be so hard for each of us to believe that we can do that in our own lives?
 
Are you stuck thinking your past will define your future? Are you ready to move past it?

Try these steps to un-stick yourself and move forward.

1. Identify your “stuck” thinking.
It may sound something like this:
I can’t ______________ because _____________. OR
I’ll never ______________ because _____________.

2. Change your language to clarify this is a choice.
The reality is that your “can’t” and “never” is not true. Rewrite your statement.
I choose not to ______________ because I believe that _____________ is a problem.

3. Find evidence that your stuck thinking may not be true.
Maybe you know someone else who made it work or achieved that goal. Maybe you did something similar in the past. Find three pieces of evidence.

4. Ask yourself, “If I didn’t believe [my stuck thinking thought], what would be the first thing I would do?”
Find three steps you would take.

So now, what are you going to do?