Your Past Is Lying to You! Here’s How to Break Free and Finally Move Forward

When Was the Last Time You Did Something for the First Time?

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I asked myself that recently and smiled when I realized my answer was, “Just this past weekend.” I went to a Friday night fish fry at a local Catholic church. Apparently, that’s a big thing during Lent—and I had no idea! It was so fun, the food was amazing, and the operation ran like a well-oiled machine. I was truly impressed.

Then the next day, I tried to donate blood for the first time. My hemoglobin wasn’t high enough, so I didn’t get to go through with it, but I showed up—and I’ll try again in 56 days. 😊

That weekend got me thinking.

What about you? When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Because, if you stop and really think about it, “firsts” used to be totally normal. In fact, they were constant. You sat up for the first time. You walked, you talked, you ate solid food. Then you rode a bike, went on your first date, got your first job, maybe fell in love or had a baby or traveled overseas. Your life used to be full of firsts.

But somewhere along the way, many of us stopped. We started looking at our past and saying, “Well, I’ve never done that before, so I probably can’t.” We treat our history like a permission slip—if it hasn’t happened yet, we assume it probably never will.

Here’s the truth: your past doesn’t get to decide what’s possible for you.

Yes, your past shaped you. But it doesn’t define you. It’s not the boss of your future. You don’t need proof from your past to believe in something new. You don’t need to have done something before to be capable of doing it now.

Maybe it’s writing that book you’ve been thinking about forever. Maybe it’s saying yes to a fun event even if you’re nervous about going alone. Maybe it’s trying something totally outside your comfort zone like skydiving, improv comedy, or…a fish fry. 😉

And here’s something that might blow your mind: letting go of the past isn’t just about doing something new for the first time. Sometimes, it’s about doing something for the last time.

When was the last time you let food control you instead of nourishing you?
When was the last time you talked yourself out of something exciting because of fear?
When was the last time you let negative self-talk ruin your whole day?

What if today was the last time?

Change comes when we start something new or when we decide to stop something old. Either way, it requires choice. Intention. Courage. And none of that is found by staring in the rearview mirror.

Your past only holds the power you give it. And most of that power comes from your thoughts—your beliefs about what the past means.

If you’ve been telling yourself things like:

• “I’ve always done it this way.”

• “I tried that once and it didn’t work.”

• “I’m just not good at that.”

…you’re not alone. But you’re also not stuck. You can trade those thoughts in for something better:

• Everything happened the way it was meant to.

• There’s nothing wrong with me.

• Nothing has gone wrong here.

• I’m exactly where I should be.

I know what you might be thinking: “Okay, but isn’t that just toxic positivity?” Nope. I’m not asking you to lie to yourself. I’m asking you to choose what you make your past mean. That’s not denial—it’s power.

One powerful exercise I love is writing a letter to your past self. It helps bring buried thoughts and beliefs to the surface so you can finally let them go. Here’s how to get started. Write a letter and use these five sentence starters:

1. I’m angry because…

2. I’m sad because…

3. I wish…

4. I’m sorry that…

5. I love you because…

Start with “Dear Me,” and just let it flow. Don’t edit. Don’t judge. Be honest. Then read it back—and notice how even the painful stuff brought you to where you are now. And where you are now? That’s a beautiful place to begin again.

So whether it’s your first time doing something brave…
Or your last time holding onto something that doesn’t serve you anymore…
Let this be your moment.

You are not hostage to your past.
Your past is perfect—because it brought you here.
And here is the perfect place to dream, to grow, to live boldly.

So go ahead, gorgeous friend. Do something for the first time today. Even if it’s as simple as writing a letter to yourself. That one act could change everything.