--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't change your past, But you can…" description: "\"You can't change your past, But you can make a new one.\" — Kathryn Johnstun" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg" --- # You can't change your past, But you can make a new one. ![“You can't change your past, But you can make a new one.” quote by Kathryn Johnstun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg) > “You can't change your past, But you can make a new one.” Kathryn Johnstun ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past cannot be altered, but one can create a new future through present actions. **In simple terms:** Change the future, not the past. Key Takeaway Take proactive steps toward a new path. Themes change future agency time hope Mood hopeful determined Type motivational personal temporal When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - self-improvement Key Concepts personal transformation goal setting forward thinking Questions to Reflect On - What new future will you design? - How can you let go of past regrets? A Different Perspective Past fixation hinders progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Since you can't change the past, you may as well make the best of the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-e-brunstetter/since-you-can-t-change-the-past-you-may-as-well-make-the-best-of-the/) [Wanda E. Brunstetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-e-brunstetter/) > [Change your past and Try to make a new bright start. -mehak sethi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehak-sethi/change-your-past-and-try-to-make-a-new-bright-start-mehak-sethi/) [Mehak Sethi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehak-sethi/) > [They're called Ex's for a reason. They're an EXample of a mistake you did in the past that you make again in the future!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-moore/they-re-called-ex-s-for-a-reason-they-re-an-example-of-a-mistake-you/) [Veronica Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-moore/) > [Learning from the past will make us perfect in the future...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/learning-from-the-past-will-make-us-perfect-in-the-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God never consults your past to make your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/god-never-consults-your-past-to-make-your-future/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) > [Leave the past behind, make a change and let go...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leave-the-past-behind-make-a-change-and-let-go/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I cannot disregard my past but I can always make a better present with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-basu/i-cannot-disregard-my-past-but-i-can-always-make-a-better-present/) [Ayaan Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-basu/) > [It would be cool to let people know that it doesn't matter what kind of background you have in your past, that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-lewis/it-would-be-cool-to-let-people-know-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-kind/) [Derrick Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-lewis/) > [LET YOUR PAST MAKE YOU BETTER, NOT BITTER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-your-past-make-you-better-not-bitter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-can-make-it-useful-to-the/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I can understand when people copy people of the past and make the future their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dellal/i-can-understand-when-people-copy-people-of-the-past-and-make-the/) [Alice Dellal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dellal/) > [“You can’t go back and fix the past.” “No. But you can make the present and the future a whole lot better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/you-can-t-go-back-and-fix-the-past-no-but-you-can-make-the-present/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [I'm a product of older filmmakers I guess, the past where you get to make movies and scenes are what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/i-m-a-product-of-older-filmmakers-i-guess-the-past-where-you-get-to/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [Let the past make you BETTER, NOT bitter .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itsme867/let-the-past-make-you-better-not-bitter/) Itsme867 > [Its not about what has happened in the past, its about what we can make of the future!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/its-not-about-what-has-happened-in-the-past-its-about-what-we-can/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Kathryn Johnstun > [All I need is your smile, Then I can spread my wings and fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-johnstun/all-i-need-is-your-smile-then-i-can-spread-my-wings-and-fly/) Kathryn Johnstun Explore all 2 Kathryn Johnstun quotes ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [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/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't change your past, But you can make a new one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathryn Johnstun" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-johnstun/you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-make-a-new-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-johnstun/you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-make-a-new-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/kathryn-johnstun-110023_change_you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-m_2381056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't change your past, But you can make a new one.” — Kathryn Johnstun", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kathryn Johnstun", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-johnstun/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't change your past, But...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-johnstun/you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-make-a-new-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-johnstun/you-can-t-change-your-past-but-you-can-make-a-new-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```