Too often we view every part of our past as failure. Failure on the way to something better, sure. And maybe we don’t put it into those words. But ask someone how they feel about going back to an old job, calling an ex, or moving back in with their parents – and you’ll see how much we run from our own past.
Sometimes it’s warranted! Things happen in their own time, and “the past” remains the correct place for many such things. But as you’re changing, so are those elements. And what didn’t fit together then may fit together now.
Even two matching jigsaw puzzle pieces won’t fit together if you rotate them the wrong way.
I’m not saying you should spend all your energy retreading old ground. Just that you shouldn’t run screaming, either. Sometimes the past loops around to you, and it’s okay to evaluate that as you would any new experience, rather than defaulting to aversion.
The Opportunity Machine 