Why You Must Overwrite Your Bad Memories

Move past the sadness to achieve greatness

We’ve all been there — passing a familiar place that once held fond memories, listening to a song that brings back nostalgia, and perhaps seeing that family member whose presence reminds you of what’s been lost.

It can seem as though there’s no easy way to escape the horrendous feeling. All hope is not lost; however, a choice must be made. You can continue along the course of despair, or you can move past the sadness to grow.

Bad Memories and Effects

The unfortunate truth about bad memories is just how they came to be. Are the terrible memories not the result of many good memories compounded over time? Of many previous good times spent?

Whether it was your grandparents’ annual stay for the holidays, your yearly ski trip, the loss of a close friend, or something else, there’s merely something about how good something was that dictates how bad the memory can become.

This terrible feeling can serve to drive you further into a pit of despair, resulting in a significant impact on your well-being. I know I’ve been there at times. One thing is for sure: It’s never easy.

And neither is the choice.

The Choice

In my life, I’ve often found it tempting to cling to what I have in difficult situations. To what seemed safe at the time instead of letting go to see what could become. Let’s be honest — the unknown can feel scary, daunting, and impossible.

Like there’s no escaping the current reality.

At this point, many people will choose again and again not to move forward, to choose safety and sadness over chance and happiness. And they may later decide to move forward, but at what cost? Whether it’s days, weeks, or decades later, there are associated costs with our decisions, which prompts the argument:

It can be better to face difficulties and conflict head-on and directly rather than wasting your time away.

Why You Should Overwrite

To turn the table on a real but honest story so far, let’s talk through a potential solution if you decide on growth and change — Overwriting.

No, I am not referring to a tendency to write more stories than typical, which could be a positive for us Medium writers, but rather the overwriting of the bad memories. That is, to replace them with even better memories.

Consider a song that only brings back memories of someone you used to love. It can be painful even to hear the song being played. It’s because you associate the song with what you had.

Learning to enjoy things yourself — in this case, a song — that was once only enjoyable due to your relationship with someone else is a drastic result of personal growth and progress.

Conclusion

We’ve talked about painful memories, overall sadness in your life, and the associated negative feelings that arise. I am not denying the pain and difficulty that comes with these situations. However, I am reiterating the importance and just how worth it that choosing to progress through can be in your life.

By deciding to move forward and grow, you’re looking ahead positively to a brighter and happier future reality. One where you can look back on your past and say — “hey, you know what… I made it.”