It's easy to say, "Let go of the past," but before you do, you need to learn some life lessons. And while you're in the process of sorting out what happened, ask yourselves the following questions for a brighter future.

You've heard it all before: Living in the past is terrible, unhealthy, and it leads to depression. It's all true, but letting go is a process. Let's try to decode the mystical art of the present moment with some valuable questions about life and your past.

Is the past draining me?

If something is troubling you on a subconscious level, you need to revisit certain places, faces, and situations. Not everyone wants to feel like they belong in the past. But some people simply don't know how to escape.

It's hard to move on when you're being haunted by what was. But, luckily, the more you work on yourself at this moment, the easier it becomes to make peace with previous experiences. You can try conventional methods, talk to someone, or try to find your peace in yoga, meditation, and keeping a journal.

At some point, you might stop feeling as if your past is draining you. Maybe you'll never know why, but you outgrew the issue, and you can continue working on yourself and preparing for the future.

Is it sending me in the wrong direction?

Digging into what was is tricky. You can't let go, yet you have no idea where the past is taking you. Maybe the reason that the past has so much power over you isn't in the past. Perhaps you're not allowing yourself to be happy here and now, or you're not ready for changes.

If you get a gut feeling that you're heading in the wrong direction, rethink your purpose and priorities. You're the one holding onto the past, so if you can't say there's anything left to learn, that you are afraid of what will come. And the only way to deal with it is to push through!

What can I use at the present moment?

Everything you ever learned has some meaning. Knowing how to use your experience and stay in the present moment, that's the healthiest way to deal with the past.

The short answer to this question is that you can use all your resources, but don't rely on them only. Let life surprise you, and you will find that there's no bigger happiness than being in the moment.

What do I get from the past?

If you tend to think that the good old days were your time to shine, maybe the past isn't the problem. Perhaps you're uncertain about the future, or you're not happy with your current situations.

We tend to live in the past when we are unhappy. But, there's a catch: you risk becoming stuck, captive to what has already happened. To prevent that, try to be mindful, show some self-love, and remember that the only thing you get from the past is what you make of it.

Did the past change me?

In short, yes, you are no longer the person you were yesterday, but if something shook you to the core, that you have to honor yourself and discover what's behind it.

You cannot blame yourself for your past reactions because you didn't know better at that time. You can accept it, and remember that the next time life gives you lemons, you'll know what to do. The past is often painful, but it's a great teacher if you're willing to trust that you can't go back in time and fix every mistake.

You will never be the same, but that's what growing up feels like. Don't be scared, embrace it, and be grateful you got this far.

Write down your thoughts, your memories, and you'll get some clarity. You won't be able to understand everything that happened entirely, but you have the power to change your current circumstances.

Try to focus on how to make each day brighter. Unless it's trauma from the past, you're merely avoiding your life. So, please stop now that you have all the answers.