Bury Yourself

Have you looked back at your past and wonder what went wrong? Do you resent certain people because of things they've done or have said to you? Does the hurt of yesterday still affect you today? If so, you are not alone. To a degree, everyone has something from his or her past that still strikes a bad chord. The bad chord can take form in the form of divorce, losing a job, having a major blowout with a friend, etc. Due to the dramatic nature and knowing that the past is part of your personal identity, it can be hard to let go of the past and move on with your life.

When the bad chord strikes, people will probably makes these types of comments: "The past is done. Move on already." "That event happened how many years ago?! You should be over it by now." "Aren't you a little too old to be mad about ______?" When these types of comments are made, do they make you feel angry? If so, then there's a valid reason for it. It's saying that your feelings are invalid and that part of your identity should be deleted. It makes you feel less than human.

You may or may not know this, but I give speeches as a hobby. I want to learn all I can about becoming an amazing public speaker. In learning this art, I like to learn from the best speakers. Recently, I watched the 2012 World Champion of Public Speaking contest video. A finalist, Diane Parker, gave a speech that struck a good chord with me. I was inspired by her stories and her ability to tell a story.

In Diane's speech, she conducted a funeral service of her past. Yes, I am serious. She went through the entire funeral service in 5-7 minutes. In her past, she's been hurt, traumatized, and shocked; yet, there she stood. Even though she has been through terrible experiences, she didn't make excuses for them. She decided to bury them. Her experiences make her who she is today, but she does not disregard them. Instead, she put them to rest and started a new life. Essentially, she was reborn.

We've all been through experiences that have not been pleasant. Some of the experiences have been life changing or life altering. Instead of letting these experiences continue to emerge like the ghost of Christmas past, lay them to rest, and let yourself be free.