Life brings us a mix of experiences—some fill us with joy, while others leave us in deep pain. Our mind has a mysterious way of holding on to the past. Often, even after a painful event has passed, we keep replaying it over and over in our minds, allowing the pain to linger and grow.

We tend to focus on negative memories and stay stuck in the same painful emotions, repeatedly reinforcing them. We may feel sorry for ourselves, as if life has ended, believing we don’t deserve happiness and should only feel sadness for a long time. But this self-pity only worsens the pain, turning small troubles into overwhelming mountains.

For example, imagine a heated argument with your spouse, where hurtful words were exchanged. How often do those words keep echoing in your mind, causing you to feel upset or angry days later? I have experienced this many times myself.

We might think that by holding onto these negative feelings, we are punishing the other person, making them pay for disturbing our peace. We resist forgiveness, believing that forgiving means letting them off the hook. But in reality, holding on to pain only hurts us.

Negative thoughts and emotions drain our energy and vitality. They disrupt not only our mental well-being but also our physical health.

So, the next time you find yourself sinking into old pain, pause. Shift your focus. Think about the good moments in your life. Use positive affirmations or chanting—whatever works best for you—to stop your mind from sabotaging your peace. Keep practicing this until your mind learns to let go.

For your own healing and happiness, do not replay.

What small steps can you take today to pause and stop the cycle of replaying painful memories? Can you recall a time when you successfully shifted your thoughts away from negative memories? How did that impact you?