Your History…

It is often taught that your history doesn’t define you, and I do agree with that to an extent. However, I also believe there is a hidden nugget of truth in there that we miss. There is a deeper revelation to this. Your past experiences and your past exposures make you who you are. You are who you are, and you are where you are because of the things you have been through, seen, felt, and overcome. To deny this would be a lie and would create greater resistance in our lives. You are exactly where you should be, where you need to be. You may want to change it and that’s ok. That’s good! But you can’t achieve that by denying your pasts influence on you.

I want to offer instead that your past DOES define you but, HOW it defines you is your choice. How it influences you is your choice. What you do with it is your choice. You can’t change your past, but you can change your future by learning from your past!

Let me give you examples.

 I know a young man who grew up neglected and abused. Alone in the world literally. He has chosen to create a life totally different from that for his future. He has chosen to work hard physically and spiritually. To honor his body, to exercise, to serve God, to be a faithful husband. He works hard at work and has gone to college. He has taken his past and is choosing to create and let it define his path for good.

I know another young man who had pretty much the same upbringing. He is using drugs, neglected his body and his hygiene. He has abused loved ones in his life now. He is filled with hate and contempt. His future looks very dim right.

Both men had terrible pasts. Both of their past experiences and exposures have defined them. One for positive and one for negative.

You get to decide who you want to be, not in spite of your past but BECAUSE of it. You are in the driver seat. How you respond is up to you.

Step into it today. Accept your past choices, the things that have happen that were out of your control, and use them for good. You’ve got this!