The Importance Of Living In The Present And Not In The Past
The course we have charted from the past to get to where we are today is etched in our minds. This ‘engraving’ has a major influence on what we think, what we say and how we act. It also influences the strategies we have to deal with the different situations that life throws at us. The experiences we’ve had, the lessons we’ve learned, and the people we know are part of the person we are today. However, it is important not to dwell in the past, because however you look at it, we live in the present.
What we did in the past defined who we were at the time. But you are no longer that person, you are the one who is alive today. As human beings, we are constantly changing. We change a little bit every day, with every new piece of information we take in and every new thing we learn. Change is simply inevitable.
Therefore, whenever we gloat about or regret what we have done in the past, we only harm ourselves. Of course, guilt is an emotion that, when used properly, can help us rectify situations where we have done wrong. But if we take it too hard and it becomes an obsession, it can become a toxic emotion that can destroy our lives and not help us resolve our past.
The past is unreal
When we say something is unreal, we mean it is intangible. We can’t access it, we can’t touch it, smell it, see or hear it. If something cannot be perceived with our five senses, it means that it does not exist in our present life. This doesn’t mean it never existed. Once, of course, it was very real. So it’s obvious that we know these things happened, but they’re only real in our minds anymore.
Every time our mind travels to the past, it is therefore a good practice to “place ourselves back” in the present moment. The same goes for moments when our mind wanders into the future, after all this will only evoke useless fear. All that really exists is the here and now. The past and the future only exist in our heads.
The reality of the present, where we actually have the power to influence things, is one thing. An entirely different thing is psychological reality . In this reality, some of the actions we perform in the present are not only useless on a practical level, but actually harm us. They leave us burdened by the past or worry about the future. Today, if we are upset and saddened by something that happened yesterday, we lose precious time in our present life.
Living in the present – ​​how can I do this?
The first step to truly living in the present is to realize that the past is not real. It was real, once, but not anymore. We must therefore stop placing too much value on something that no longer exists. Of course , what we can do is use something we’ve learned in the past to help us in the present. That way, the past can be useful and remain a part of us. The problems only arise when we dwell on things from the past that don’t help us grow.
When you realize that you’re thinking about what “should have been” or “shouldn’t have happened,” you need to stop yourself as well. You need to remind yourself that this is what is happening now and this is how it should be. This exercise, if you do it consciously, will help you stop living in the past.
Accept that you can’t change the past
Finally, reject anything you do in the present that is aimed at changing the past. We must accept that the past cannot be changed – whatever happened, it happened for a reason. Whether it was good or bad.
Nor is it worth criticizing or hurting others. To beg or brood over things that have happened. The only thing that is useful about the past is everything it has taught us. Anything that can help us avoid making the same mistakes again.
So focus on living in the present. On what is happening around you, the people you see now, the objects you touch, smell, eat, hear. There is nothing else, at least not for now. Apply this principle today and free yourself from your past.
