Letting Go Of The Past The influence of the past on our personality, hopes and fears is complex, and difficult to trace. The past is by definition a collection of memories. It is also the journey on which we have picked up our life-skills; accordingly we tend to believe that it will sustain and protect us. There are certainly great benefits in learning from our past mistakes. But excessive attachment to the past can threaten present fulfillment. Many of us are preoccupied with avoiding past disaster, even to the extent that we forget how to enjoy the present or how to hope for the future. e.g. If we have been badly hurt by someone in the past, we may allow this to damage our self-esteem. We become worried that the sorrow will recur, and project this negative consciousness into our current relationship, where it is reflected back at us. The relationship fails, which strengthens our belief in the past, and heightens negative feelings about the future.