Then, focus on something that you’re grateful for. When you think about a person who caused you pain, bring yourself back to the present. You have to make the choice to address the hurt that you’ve experienced. Do your own workįocusing on yourself is important. “Creating physical or psychological distance between ourselves and the person or situation can help with letting go for the simple reason that we are not having to think about it, process it, or being reminded of it as much,” she explains. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say that you should distance yourself from the person or situation that is causing you to be upset.Īccording to clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula, PhD, that’s not such a bad idea. Often, having a mantra that you tell yourself in times of emotional pain can help you reframe your thoughts.įor example, says clinical psychologist Carla Manly, PhD, instead of getting stuck in, “I can’t believe this happened to me!” try a positive mantra such as, “I am fortunate to be able to find a new path in life - one that is good for me.” 2. How you talk to yourself can either move you forward or keep you stuck. Create a positive mantra to counter the painful thoughts
If you’re trying to move forward from a painful experience, but you’re not sure how to get started, here are 12 tips to help you let go.
If we get stuck in thinking about what “should have been,” we can become immobilized in painful feelings and memories. One of the best ways to heal from hurts is to learn lessons from the situation and use those to focus on growth and forward momentum. What separates us though, is how we deal with that pain.Įxperts have found that when emotional pain prevents you from healing from a situation, it’s a sign that we aren’t moving forward in a growth-oriented way. Whether that pain is physical or emotional, we all have experiences of being hurt. One thing that connects us as human beings is our ability to feel pain.