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The Teflon Mind: How to Let Go of The Past
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The Teflon Mind: How to Let Go of The Past

What doesn’t stick makes you stronger

Gustavo Razzetti's avatar
Gustavo Razzetti
Sep 11, 2018
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Demystify Culture
The Teflon Mind: How to Let Go of The Past
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What doesn’t stick makes you stronger.

Shake it all out — Photo by David Hofmann

“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.” — Lao Tzu

Why can’t I just move on?

Everyone tells you: “let go.” It sounds so simple, right? Yet, you can’t stop holding on to the past. A grudge, a bad experience, or a betrayal — no matter how long ago they happened, sad memories stick with us forever.

Reliving a story is like being hurt twice or thrice — remembering your suffering creates more suffering. So why do we do it?

In some weird way, it’s fulfilling. We construct our heroified version of what happened. Those stories do more than fill the void — they’ve become part of who you are. Memories have adhered to your identity; you can’t remove them no matter how hard you try.

Let’s be honest: letting go is not easy. But you can train yourself to avoid sad memories from getting stuck. You need to develop a Teflon Mind.

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