However we perceive the past, whether in a positive or a negative light, concentrating on it makes us unhappier in the present. The past is past.
Through deliberate present-minded focus we can breathe in new life, new positive energy, letting go of the way things were in the past. When we grow more mindful, we open our hearts to forgiveness and choose not to get bogged down in placing blame or getting even with others. When we let go of the past, we gain in wisdom. We feel lighter and brighter, inspired by what we’ve learned, ready to move on.
— Alexandra Stoddard, Choosing Happiness: Keys to a Joyful Life, p. 14