Does Your Past Hold Your Business Hostage?

Does your past experience influence the success ofstay in breakdown mode. John Maxwell also states
your current home business? Many peoplethat "Every major difficulty you face in life is a fork
concentrate on past hurts or wounds so that theyin the road. You choose which track you will head
can't transform their future.down, toward breakdown or breakthrough."
They think that since their previous businesses wereIt all depends on you. What do you want? Do you
unsuccessful, their current business will fail. Or they sowant to move forward and breakthrough your pain?
identify with being an abuse victim that it impactsOr do you want to stay a hostage to past wounds?
every aspect of their life.Choosing to experience a breakthrough will take
But if you want to move forward and grow, youwork. It may be very hard work, but the results are
have to decide what you will focus on. Will youworth it.
concentrate on the pain of the past or theIs there a past hurt that you would like to process?
opportunity that lies in the future?The first step is to acknowledge the pain that you
John C. Maxwell, in his book, Failing Forward, statesmay feel. Don't deny your feelings. You may want to
that "The problems of people's pasts impact them inwrite about it or express your feelings artistically.
one of two ways: They experience either aGive yourself permission to grieve the loss.
breakdown or a breakthrough."Is there anyone who you need to forgive in this
People who haven't gotten over their past difficultiessituation, maybe even yourself? Choose to forgive
manifest five key qualities. The first quality isthem. It may not be easy. You may seek a
comparison; they constantly complain that their pain isprofessional to help you in this process.
always much greater than everyone else's.It's important to realize that forgiveness is a process
They rationalize and make excuses for not dealingthat takes time. You may have to revisit the
with past challenges. This rationalization preventssituation several times to become truly healed of this
them from finding solutions to their problems.experience. However, revisiting a painful situation to
Some people isolate themselves from others toexperience healing is not the same as rehashing it in
protect themselves from getting hurt. Other peoplethe "poor me" mode.
will constantly regret past experiences and remain inAs you do the forgiveness work and choose to
the past. Regret drains their energy and preventsforgive the people who hurt you, you release your
them from moving forward. Someone who alwaysties to the past wounds. You are transforming your
goes over past hurts and wounds will become bitter.past wounds as you breakthrough to an amazing
However, there is another option. You don't have tofuture. You are failing forward!