--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it…" description: "\"“Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk away. Quit collecting every painful word, memory and mistake. Collect hope.”\" — Bryant McGill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/bryant-mcgill-108_evolve_your-past-is-like-a-bag-of-bricks-set-it_2600630.jpg" --- # Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk… ![“Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk away. Quit collecting every painful word, memory and mistake. Collect hope.” quote by Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/bryant-mcgill-108_evolve_your-past-is-like-a-bag-of-bricks-set-it_2600630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/bryant-mcgill-108_evolve_your-past-is-like-a-bag-of-bricks-set-it_2600630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/bryant-mcgill-108_evolve_your-past-is-like-a-bag-of-bricks-set-it_2600630.jpg) > ““Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk away. Quit collecting every painful word, memory and mistake. Collect hope.”” [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Let go of past pain, release burdens, and focus on hope for the future. **In simple terms:** Drop past pain, walk away, embrace hope. Key Takeaway Release past and seek hope. Themes healing hope growth Mood uplifting encouraging Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal journaling Key Concepts psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What steps help you release past hurts? - How does hope influence your actions? A Different Perspective People may struggle to forget painful memories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collect Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collect-hope-1940426/) [Collecting Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collecting-painful-1940429/) [Evolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Painful Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painful-word-1940428/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Quit Collecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-collecting-1940427/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Walking away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-away/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The word queer first started being used in the late 1980s by members of the community who wanted to reclaim something negative and turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/the-word-queer-first-started-being-used-in-the-late-1980s-by-members/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [Nothing can be more painful than the cry of the word which gave us the inspiration to dream of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/nothing-can-be-more-painful-than-the-cry-of-the-word-which-gave-us/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“Fear is a prison where you are the jailer. Free yourself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fear-is-a-prison-where-you-are-the-jailer-free-yourself/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Sometimes walking away is best. I should know. It's my specialty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/sometimes-walking-away-is-best-i-should-know-it-s-my-specialty/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [I am the epitome of a walking contradiction for various reasons, only one of which being that I feel my existence is of heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-the-epitome-of-a-walking-contradiction-for-various-reasons-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes walking away is actually making them stand up and Run to catch you .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milliton-munney/sometimes-walking-away-is-actually-making-them-stand-up-and-run-to/) [Milliton MUNNEY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milliton-munney/) > [“You won't further the cause of human rights by walking away with your morals intact. Change is about getting your hand dirty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-malloy/you-won-t-further-the-cause-of-human-rights-by-walking-away-with-your/) [Brian Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-malloy/) > [Everyday I wish you never said forever. Everyday I watch you walk away with her closer to forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-ann/everyday-i-wish-you-never-said-forever-everyday-i-watch-you-walk-away/) [Kathryn Ann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-ann/) > [“And not that I don't love those words, but what were you wrong about?" "Walking away from you." She stepped into him. "I'm done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/and-not-that-i-don-t-love-those-words-but-what-were-you-wrong-about/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [Whether it's people walking off 'The View' when Bill O'Reilly makes a statement about radical Islam or Juan Williams being fired for expressing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/whether-it-s-people-walking-off-the-view-when-bill-o-reilly-makes-a/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [“I may be the one leaving, but you’re the one giving up everything and walking away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loni-flowers/i-may-be-the-one-leaving-but-you-re-the-one-giving-up-everything-and/) [Loni Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loni-flowers/) > [Can't blame people for walking away. People get tired and can only take so much. Don't be surprised when they leave and don't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-t-blame-people-for-walking-away-people-get-tired-and-can-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, sometimes it is really difficult to turn and walk away from someone you have loved and cherished for so long. You know deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kreger/sometimes-sometimes-it-is-really-difficult-to-turn-and-walk-away-from/) [David Kreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kreger/) > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Bryant McGill > [“Witnessing a selfless act brings tears to remind us how we should be treating others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witnessing-a-selfless-act-brings-tears-to-remind-us-how-we-should-be/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The teacher can only provide the lessons, but the student ultimately decides what to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-teacher-can-only-provide-the-lessons-but-the-student-ultimately/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Start the daily practice of joyful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/start-the-daily-practice-of-joyful-living/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“You cannot change another person's mind or educate them; this they must do themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-cannot-change-another-person-s-mind-or-educate-them-this-they/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The public good must come before private interests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-public-good-must-come-before-private-interests/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Countries, states, cities, corporations and laws are all words on paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/countries-states-cities-corporations-and-laws-are-all-words-on-paper/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“We must remember that nature is the supreme cradle of life, and must be protected and treated with the highest respect and care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-remember-that-nature-is-the-supreme-cradle-of-life-and-must/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Even discomfort or pain delivers awareness of life, and an opportunity for gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/even-discomfort-or-pain-delivers-awareness-of-life-and-an-opportunity/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The secret to unseating great power, is not to move the other direction, but to compete directly against their goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-secret-to-unseating-great-power-is-not-to-move-the-other/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“In the moments of your deepest need, despair and desperation, what you need more than any other thing, is calm and faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/in-the-moments-of-your-deepest-need-despair-and-desperation-what-you/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“It is essential that you follow your own idea of passion, even if to others it looks like suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/it-is-essential-that-you-follow-your-own-idea-of-passion-even-if-to/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Joy is a practice, not an involuntary state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/joy-is-a-practice-not-an-involuntary-state/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) [Explore all 1,286 Bryant McGill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## More Evolve quotes > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [In fashion, some evolve, some don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/in-fashion-some-evolve-some-don-t/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) > [“Our first teacher is our own heart. When we begin to tune in and listen to our heart we can bring our thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-l-white/our-first-teacher-is-our-own-heart-when-we-begin-to-tune-in-and/) [Victoria L. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-l-white/) > [“You have permission to walk away from anything that doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and listen to your inner-voice — it's trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-have-permission-to-walk-away-from-anything-that-doesn-t-feel/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [My curiosity and my appetite for evolving as an actor is one of the main components of me still working today in the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/my-curiosity-and-my-appetite-for-evolving-as-an-actor-is-one-of-the/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“In the offseason, you should be working, reading, developing, growing, evolving, and becoming your best self. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/in-the-offseason-you-should-be-working-reading-developing-growing/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [In the Christian perspective, the love of God and of all other human beings invites us to share and enjoy not just the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/in-the-christian-perspective-the-love-of-god-and-of-all-other-human/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [You do need to maintain some of yourself and know who you are, but that doesn't mean you can't evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-show/you-do-need-to-maintain-some-of-yourself-and-know-who-you-are-but/) [Grant Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-show/) > [Every physical system registers information, and just by evolving in time, by doing its thing, it changes that information, transforms that information, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-lloyd/every-physical-system-registers-information-and-just-by-evolving-in/) [Seth Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-lloyd/) > [Every year is different. I always try to evolve, get better and find different areas and training that can benefit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-millsap/every-year-is-different-i-always-try-to-evolve-get-better-and-find/) [Paul Millsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-millsap/) [Browse all 1,637 Evolve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Your past is like a bag of bricks; set it down and walk away. Quit collecting every painful word, memory and mistake. 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