According to Charlene M Proctor, PhD, “Every day we have an opportunity to choose our attitude and focus our intentions in the present moment.”

The following excerpts from her new book, The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations That Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential, explains a number of ways to help overcome the disturbing events that occurred in the past.

Never allow the past to hold you back from enjoying a full life because life is very beautiful. What have you got to lose, except a heavy burden that has to be discarded anyway?

Forgiveness is usually the key to moving forward, which is why it’s on the path to gaining insight. When you forgive yourself, and those who have hurt you, you are able to release negative patterns that visit you over and over again.

More important, you will finally sever the control that a memory of another person has over you.

Stay in the present, affirm the good that has been a result of a bad situation, and love your authentic self even more than you did yesterday. You can do it and see the wonders in your present life.

If you have a bad attitude: Today I change my focus by championing a new cause. I am the ambassador of positive thinking. I spread health, wealth, love, and happiness wherever I go and to whomsoever I meet in the process. I love watching how my positive statements dissolve negativity in others. — Beliefnet.com