I don’t mean to minimize what you have gone through in your life, but I see a lot of people feeling sorry for themselves (and trust me, I have done it too…a lot). Not because they don’t have reason to be, but because they choose to stay there – in the past. There are countless people with difficult stories, including myself. And yet, each and every one of us has an opportunity to let adversity define us in a unique way. It’s our choice how that turns out. We can let our past be the catalyst for growth or an obstacle we let get in the way of our success. No matter who you are or what you have been through in your life, YOU get to choose how your life unfolds at this moment.

Up until now, you may have let your emotional baggage from the past form a negative basis of beliefs about yourself, your life, and those around you. Those beliefs can become overwhelming and suffocating. If you let them, they can steal the hope for tomorrow right out of you. It’s important to learn how to detoxify your emotional state the same way you would your body to improve your physical health.

You have a choice and you can live the empowered life you want. When it comes to dealing with life’s challenges, learn how to accept change as a positive force in your life. Continue positive self-talk so your inner dialogue becomes a tool for strength, keeping you grounded when a wave of negative emotional baggage tries to overtake you. Be proactive instead of reactive to the negative influences in your life.

Don’t expect to never have challenges in your life in order to be happy, that’s unrealistic. Discover how to confidently root yourself so you can stand strong and keep moving forward in spite of those challenges. Learn how to find approval from within yourself – not from others, embrace action by taking risks and chances, and let go of what you can’t control and trust yourself.

Your past only has the amount of power you give it. If you relive and rehearse the past in your present, the past will hold you hostage from moving forward. You get to choose (even if it doesn’t always seem like it) to not let your negative thoughts take control of your mind, your soul, and your life. Each time you find yourself struggling with your past, try and remember what the trigger was that got you to that low point inside. Journal about it each time. Then go back and see what the commonality is.

Once you know what the trigger is, you can start to correct your internal monologue and the outward manifestation. Use the tools you have learned to retrain your thoughts and make it possible to stay grounded in who you truly are. Your emotional freedom is yours to claim. Be brave and courageous. Claim your happiness today!