We've all made mistakes or cut something or someone out of our lives, and part of that process is moving on. Similar to grief, moving on is a different process for everyone and differs in every situation. I usually associate moving on with the last stage of grief, acceptance. This is what I think accelerates this concept of moving on for so many of us, it's only really one stage. Moving on isn't always easy, and there can be a lot to process from what you have experienced, but it isn't always nearly as profound or long-lasting as we can expect it to be. Getting back up is easier than you think, and continuing to step forward is something to always look towards.

I've found that, personally, looking more towards the future has helped me move on from the shortcomings I've experienced. Whether it be moving on from an opportunity I wanted that I didn't get, or something I just generally feel I failed at, I always try to find some brighter aspect of it to help me move on towards a better future. My mom has always told me that you can't change a mistake you've already made, and if you can accept that, you can use it as a lesson. I didn't always understand this advice or follow it, but I've come to eventually with time.

Dwelling on the past was the easy route, but continuing to do so is just crying over spilled milk.

When I finally learned to not take the easy route, to actually evaluate the mistakes I made or where I went wrong, I felt more at peace with the situation I was in. Yes, what could've been was always going to fascinate me, but it wasn't real, and I had to get over that. There is a bright side or a lesson to be learned from every mistake. I've come to look for these bright sides and lessons first, and reasons to be upset at myself or someone/something else last. We're not perfect beings and we all fall down or have our shortcomings, but the sooner we get back on our feet, the better chance we have of succeeding in some other way.

I think the part of moving on that really makes it easier is being open about it and letting yourself have those emotions of sadness or uncertainty. Moving on isn't always an instantaneous or sudden thing, there has to be an understanding or what was lost first. I think an important step in moving on from something is letting yourself feel the emotions that come with the loss, instead of hiding them away from yourself or others.

Let yourself be sad or angry, feel free to cry or yell. Moving on can feel difficult because we feel we invested so much of ourselves into something, and to feel our efforts were for nothing can be heartbreaking. Never feel that your emotions are something to hide or turn away from, and you'll find the positivity in losing something much quicker than you ever thought you could.

There are people who have never moved on from things that happened a long time ago, like a failed relationship or just an isolated situation where they felt let down or like they failed. This bitterness can only set us back and prevent us from seeing the brightest and happiest parts of our present and possible futures. Moving on isn't as easy as reciting the alphabet or adding two and two together, but it is easier than a lot of people think. All it takes is the ability to let yourself be sad or whatever emotion you feel, and eventually, come to accept the past and look toward the future.