Are you living in constant emotional pain?

For some of you, past emotional pain can come back to you in

sweeping waves, or little jabs here and there. You are going along just fine in your life when suddenly you start thinking about past experiences and events that reopen old wounds and scars you had thought you already buried. Is this you? You see, if you are "burying" old emotional scars and wounds, then you really are not dealing with them. In fact, by burying your emotions, you actually start building your life off of them; and definitely not in a positive way.

So many individuals get caught up in their own vicious cycles that they forget who they are as human beings. They do not realize how negatively emotional scars can begin to impact their lives. You do not want to construct a foundation on emotional wounds because eventually the scars cut straight to the core of your authentic being. The more your emotions begin to weigh you down, the heavier and more difficult life becomes. This, in fact, is why many emotional pain sufferers turn to addictive substances and alcohol to relieve their symptoms. The hard truth is that replacing one negative habit with another will not resolve the underlying issue. In the end, you still must come to terms with your difficult past and learn to let it go once and for all.

"But I just cannot get over what happened… I keep reliving it in my head over and over again." Do you hear yourself saying that?  Regrettably, bad things happen to good people. Then what happens is that folks start living with shame and guilt over past experiences. Here is the good news, you do not have to live with the guilt and shame that you have been harboring. The healing process must start from within. First, you have to identify the underlying issue that has been plaguing you. You must accept the experience - whatever that may be - then forgive yourself for holding onto it. Now, let it go and breathe.

Understand too, that you will need to consistently need to practice accepting and forgiving yourself. It should become your mantra that you say to yourself each and every day: "Today I know that I have my life to live. I will live it in the present moment, understanding that the pain of my past cannot hurt me, nor will it continue to hurt me. I forgive myself for holding onto past experiences. I am free from them now and will continue to be free from them because the power is in me  to change."

Once you forgive yourself for holding onto shame or guilt, fear or vengeance, then only can you begin to live a joy-filled life. I want you to know that you no longer need to live in constant emotional pain. You do not have to hold onto the anger and resentment of past events. Remember, you are ultimately in control of your life. You are a grown adult and need no one's permission to be happy and live in peace. Only you need to say it aloud and mean it. It is okay to reflect on your past, but it is not okay to relive it. You are the leader of your life, and today is the first day of the rest of your life. Start it fresh and live it by loving and forgiving yourself now and watch your life change.

Joan Marie Ambrose -- Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker

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