“Release unnecessary distractions that you cannot change.” —Mrs. Barbara Bennett (Momma)

Hello Gardners! I hope all is well. I’ve been settling into my new job, learning, growing, and being thankful for this opportunity. I feel so free because of a choice I made in February 2020—months before I started Garden of Growth.

“I decided to stop replaying my past and clear my mind.”

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I believe it’s safe to say that we all know how to navigate a computer.

When there are too many tabs open, it makes it hard for the computer to function. Commands take longer, pages stop loading, and, in a way, the computer cannot handle the task load. Would you believe me if I told you that we (humans) worked the same way?

I started a new job in January. God did his big one with this. But I knew before I could leave my old job, I had to learn to let my past experiences go and close those tabs. We’ve heard the quote, “Don’t let your past define you.” But ya’ll—that’s hard! Especially if you feel like you keep going in circles, meeting the same type of person, making the same mistakes, and failing the same lessons.

Trust me when I say you can get out of the loop. Let’s talk about three small yet powerful things we can do.

Acceptance 🫶🏽

Start with acceptance. What’s happened has happened, and you can do nothing to change it. The biggest thing for me was learning that I was doing the best I could with what I had. Using the knowledge available was what I had to work with. The more you grow, the better you become, so accept your past self and be thankful for the resilience that you showed.

Forgiveness ❤️‍🩹

“Forgiveness is not for the other person; it’s for you.” This quote plagued me for years until I finally took the time to sit with it. Forgiving people isn’t for them. It is definitely for me. It’s like creating a boundary and telling yourself, “It’s okay that you didn’t understand this, but now that we understand it—let’s not do it again.” So, it made accepting my past easier once I thought about it. We are not all-knowing, and I am glad for it. Imagine all the beauty we would miss if we knew everything. Forgive yourself for whatever it is that is holding you back.

Move On 🌅

Easier said than done, right? This is true when you do it alone, but as this month’s Bible study plan has taught me, I don’t have to do anything alone. When things get too heavy, which they often do, I call on Jesus. When I first started doing this, I wasn’t calling on him; I was telling my Momma I was because that’s what she told me to do. But one day, she didn’t answer the phone, and Jesus was the only person I had to talk to. THEN—it all became clear.

Every trial and tribulation I had experienced had been because I hadn’t cleared my browser history. I couldn’t change the past; it had already happened, and over-analyzing it stunted my growth. We are only as good as we allow ourselves to be. We are responsible for tapping into who God created us to be and moving forward unburdened and clear of the past.

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Have a wonderful week, and I will be back soon!

Take care,

ToriB💕🌻