Do you feel captured by old thoughts and emotions that no longer serve you well? Do you spend more time in the past than in the present moment? And do you often find yourself feeling physically ill, depressed, or even angry just by spending time with your memories?

Having a “positive today” requires making plenty of space for personal growth. That means opening up energy and time to let go of the past and forgive. Having difficult parents, an abusive relationship, or a dysfunctional family situation presents greater challenges for us to move into the present. Present moment awareness is where our greatest power resides. When we choose to live in the agony of the past and do not expect a positive future, it is nearly impossible to find creativity, joy, and peace in life.

Moving into a peaceful state of mind requires us to have a high level of forgiveness. Unforgiveness nurtures a negative state and attracts undesirable circumstances. We can become prisoners of our negative emotions. The Law of Attraction states “like energy attracts like energy.” Since thoughts are energy, we want to resonate with clear, loving, and present-day ideas that focus on what we want – productive lives, satisfying jobs, or wonderful relationships. We don’t want to spend time attracting more of what we don’t want.

Regurgitating old messages and unsavory experiences from the past doesn’t allow us to move forward and step into a vision of what we can become. Let’s work on ways to move our thoughts away from self-doubt and resentment, using forgiveness as a vehicle for change.

Release negative experiences

Once we release a negative experience from our mental and emotional state, we can make peace with it. You cannot change the past, only your feelings and attitude toward it. True forgiveness is about rising to the challenge of viewing the past as an opportunity for transformation and refinement. The past has provided you with strength and dignity to become an inspiration to others. Your most powerful moments are spent in the present. Today is what matters, not yesterday or tomorrow. Eliminate negative self-talk and all negative verbiage from your vocabulary. Be done with old hurts and let them go.

Visualize Positive Outcomes

No matter what you’ve been through, take charge of your own thoughts. Cultivate a positive and enriching state of mind. Each day is an opportunity to grow. You can’t change your parents or old events from long ago, but you can change your outlook. Take responsibility for what you think and how you approach life on the inside first! Have peace knowing there is a lesson in all you have encountered and stop punishing yourself through self-abusive behavior or quitting. Get up in the morning and consciously create your day in your mind. Go for as much wonder and abundance as you can imagine!

Affirm regularly with passion

An affirmation is a positive, present-day statement that declares your current reality. Affirmations provide power and clarity to your daily thinking. Spoken out loud, and held with a strong belief and passion for the idea, affirmations are an invitation to what you want. Here are three forgiveness affirmations that attract good energy and help you move forward. One is for parents and the other is about regrets. Another reminds you about the power of forgiveness:

“I selected these parents long before I arrived on this planet in order to evolve my soul. My chart includes many people challenges. I accept my learning situation. I need to strengthen my resolve by working through difficult family situations. Today, I rely upon Spirit to assist me in taking the high road. I am a willow branch that bends in the wind but never breaks. I am a fantastic and beautiful soul!”

“Life is a curvaceous and fluid journey. Because I am always moving through learning stages, I cannot look back or measure. I learn through my relationships because that is how I begin to define who I am. Nothing is unforgivable in life. I know nursing this hurt is holding me back from fully being with others; therefore, I choose to thank the universe for giving me another opportunity to develop my soul by knowing yet another person. I move easily through this experience.”

“I forgive because I am capable of expressing compassion. By forgiving, I release this situation from my energy field and feel clear-headed and full-hearted. I forgive because I am able to rise to my higher self and feel lighter. My light knows no boundaries when I forgive. Life feels lighter when I forgive.”

© The Goddess Network, Inc. and Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D. 2007. All Rights Reserved. See http://www.thegoddessnetwork.com/connect.php?page=eshow for more empowering thoughts on forgiveness! Register for The E-Show, a series of enlightening lectures!

Author's Bio: 

Dr. Charlene M. Proctor is the founder of The Goddess Network, Inc. an on-line educational resource for topics on spirituality, relationships, and women's studies. Author of Let Your Goddess Grow! she is a researcher and educator in the field of women's empowerment and develops self-empowerment strategies for women in all walks of life. She is a subject matter expert for Beliefnet.com, the world's largest self-help and personal growth website. Her affirmations from The Women's Book of Empowerment reach 2.7 million web visitors daily. She currently facilitates the PATH to Empowerment program for Lighthouse Path in Michigan, a residential women's shelter for homeless mothers, teaching them how to cope with life and increase self-esteem and confidence. To learn more, visit http://www.thegoddessnetwork.net

Additional Resources covering Positive Thinking can be found at:

Website Directory for Positive Thinking
Articles on Positive Thinking
Products for Positive Thinking
Discussion Board
Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D., Official Guide on Positive Thinking