Did you know that before you can change, you have to accept yourself. This means that you must acknowledge all of your behavior. What are those good actions that you are proud of? When have you felt contrite about your conduct? When are you neutral?
You have to honestly recognize who you are, and accept all of these facets of yourself before you can move forward.
People make the mistake of thinking that they can just stuff things down. The believe that they can simply ignore their feelings about themselves. They think they can disregard the past: the things that they have done to others as well as what others have done to them. They expect they can just create new habits and goals, work hard and...Voila! They become a new person.
Sure, there are people out there who have the discipline and the drive to move forward in life seemingly unscathed. And they do well for themselves...until, that is, “things” start to pop up and they realize that something is amiss.
In my case it was the hives. I was covered in hives for nearly two years. I assumed that I could just ignore how I felt about my life, about my marriage in particular, and start a new MLM business. Just because I chose not to analyze my life did not mean that my past simply disappeared. It stayed right there inside me, and so my body begged for redress.
The point that I’m trying to make here is simply this: you cannot change anything about your situation until you are willing to accept it – for what it is right now – and stop denying whatever is going on.
Try asking yourself these questions:
• What does my life look like right now?
• What do I need to accept about my life?
• Who do I need to forgive, myself and/or maybe others?
Take the time to reflect on your life without judgement and to accept yourself fully. Learn from your mistakes, and forgive yourself and others in the process. And then, let go. So that when you do move forward, you can know that what was is now in your past.

Your past does not define your future. Learn what it has to teach you and leave the rest behind.
Care to share your thoughts? Leave you comment below!
We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses. –Carl Jung

Author's Bio: 

Mary is an empowerment coach who works with women who struggle with feeling like a doormat and want to be in control of their lives. What separates her service from the competition is she was a former doormat. She will take you by the hand and gently move them forward along the path of positive change and because of this, clients receive a life plan designed by them and they have the power to step into it.
Please visit Mary at http://movingforwardwithmary.com/ and receive her free inspirational eBook "3 Proven Strategies to Take Back Control of Your Life and Gain the Respect and Appreciation You Crave"