There are times when you are not a good girl or boy. And things just come out and challenge you. Some ways those things make you bend on knees and ask for mercy. Which is kind of how the life treats you when you do wrong to others. How to handle such situation?
I assume some of the times you did wrong some other people and you have been caught by people who are powerful than you and they want you to explain. Some ways think of it like exam cheat or maybe you crossing the red light on road. And many other scenarios.
How would you handle such situation where past matters?
Acceptance
First thing you should do is accept that you were wrong. And you have to understand that you did wrong to the people. This way you would have some peace of mind. And you would ready to accept the consequences and this can free you from the imaginary in and out of your head.
Stay calm
At the end stay calm and accept. Think of it like you have to face what you have done and things just have to go the way they are supposed to go. And there is nothing different you could do about it. Staying calm gives you advantage over your head and that gives you the right direction. Staying calm also makes any form of the adjustment and the people management lot easier. You just have to learn to handle the people the right way.
Apologize
People who are surrounding you and wanted something out of you first want the apologies. Once their anger goes slow and mellow they can discuss the further issues. Say you are cutting the signal you would be caught by the police. They would be angry and punishing mode initially but later as you apologize and ready to pay for the rule breaking you would find them adjusting with you as well.
Rebuild Trust
Now this part is harder. But it would take years to build the trust back. Police or anyone you are doing wrong with on road would not forgive easily. In relationship too that would take years. People who do wrong tend to take longer to rebuild trust. And so it always makes things a bit of difficult when it comes to handling the past. So do things that build trust between the people.
Learn from this experience and keep moving ahead. Treat people with same mercy that you have got from the world. And this would also helps you out in the long run.
Past always catches up. It doesn't matter what you did in the past. You have to come in terms with the same at the end.