333 Days ’til 40: Keys to Our Future

I am certain that at some point in life we all ask ourselves “what is the key to our future?”

Corrie Ten Boom said, “Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.”  I tend to agree with her.

We can often look to our past as a way to understand where we are heading in our future.  Through analyzing our past we can understand how we became the people we are today.  We need to look at our thought patterns, our choices, how we make decisions.  As we come to understand our past, we can then take these insights and apply them to the future.  For example, if I know that in the past my decisions were often impulsive and based on my need to feel accepted by my family, when I make my next decision I can empower myself to take more time before making a determination and I can also question my motives (am I doing this for the right reasons, or am I still motivated by my need to be feel acceptance?)

I believe there are many things from our past that can block us from living the future we want to live – I will call these “Locked Doors from Our Past.”  Here are some examples of those locked doors:

• False Beliefs (i.e.:  I am not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough, strong enough etc. to be happy and succeed)
• Bad Experiences (i.e.: I cannot try to live on my own again – I failed miserably the first time)
• Fear (i.e.:  I cannot make this decision, if I am wrong, I may get fired, my world may crumble, people may be angry at me, etc.)
• Need to Please (i.e.:  I cannot make that choice, even if it is the best for me, because it will not be accepted by my family)

As we understand the aforementioned locked doors that stand in the way of us progressing into the future we were meant to live, the doors start to open.  When we can discipline ourselves to correct the false beliefs that paralyze us, we are able to make decisions that allow our lives to move forward in healthy ways.  For example:  I can apply for a promotion because I now understand that the belief that I am not good enough is not true.  I have a great position, I am doing a good job, and it is okay for me to seek recognition through applying for a promotion.

Keys to unlocking your future:

• Self-confidence (believing you have the ability)
• Taking risks (willing to take a risk for your future, in spite of your fear)
• Self-understanding (self-awareness allows you to take steps towards your future while simultaneously walking away from unhealthy patterns from your past.)
• Make mistakes (instead of beating yourself up about past mistakes, celebrate the learning opportunities and personal growth these mistakes afforded you.  We rarely learn from our successes – they make us too comfortable, we learn from our mistakes, as those are often what cause us pain, which is a strong motivator for change!)
• Persevere (see my blog from yesterday!)

Today, 333 Days ’til 40. I will remind myself that understanding my past is often the key to unlocking my future.  By understanding my thought processes from today I can learn to keep the healthy patterns in my life and strive to change those patterns that are preventing my growth and progress.

I wish for all my readers that you too will have the courage to analyze your past in order to more fully understand the patterns at play in your life that will shape your future.

~400daystil40