Do you live in the past?

Is it a fashion or the desire to listen to old music is growing more than it was expected? Just browse around internet and you will see it is a reality.

With the pandemic, nostalgia is in and not only in terms of music; many people can´t stop thinking of the old times of 50, 30 or even 5 years ago! By the way, I am listening to some wonderful songs of the past right now…

You know, if you really like those things of the past, why not? There is nothing bad about reliving some wonderful experience, memory or reinventing whatever you went through… as long as you don’t start living there.

Maybe you don’t like the present, but you do live NOW and when you try to live in the past, you are probably missing so many opportunities.

A deep reflection is that whatever I lived in the past that left such wonderful memory in my heart – and a song is playing, which used to be favorite of a person I won’t be able to see anymore, I haven’t even been able to say goodbye – I can still live now as memories of that wonderful person, her words and wisdom and her good wishes towards me flood my mind (not my eyes, not my eyes!).

Instead of going to the past, I bring the past to this time and live that beautiful energy in my life without delay; therefore it is like feeling her presence everywhere I go, because I am using those memories here. In this way, the past helps me to create an even better future in which I know she won’t be present, but part of my life will be her legacy.

Do you live in the past?

Is it a fashion or the desire to listen to old music is growing more than it was expected? Just browse around internet and you will see it is a reality.

With the pandemic, nostalgia is in and not only in terms of music; many people can´t stop thinking of the old times of 50, 30 or even 5 years ago! By the way, I am listening to some wonderful songs of the past right now…

You know, if you really like those things of the past, why not? There is nothing bad about reliving some wonderful experience, memory or reinventing whatever you went through… as long as you don’t start living there.

Maybe you don’t like the present, but you do live NOW and when you try to live in the past, you are probably missing so many opportunities.

A deep reflection is that whatever I lived in the past that left such wonderful memory in my heart – and a song is playing, which used to be favorite of a person I won’t be able to see anymore, I haven’t even been able to say goodbye – I can still live now as memories of that wonderful person, her words and wisdom and her good wishes towards me flood my mind (not my eyes, not my eyes!).

Instead of going to the past, I bring the past to this time and live that beautiful energy in my life without delay; therefore it is like feeling her presence everywhere I go, because I am using those memories here. In this way, the past helps me to create an even better future in which I know she won’t be present, but part of my life will be her legacy.

The present is a present hard to hold

Present is… fast… you just think of something that is taking place right now and it is over!

So, what to do?

Well, we often prefer to think of the past and dwell in past wonderful experiences, or relive regrets.

Or we keep on thinking of the future we want or we expect.

But, what about the present? Let’s reframe it!

In our present, we are living the fruit that have come from seeds sown in the past.

In our present, we are sowing the seeds for the fruit we will be reaping in the future.

Do we realize how important is the present??

Let’s plan it better…

Every thought is a seed for all that will happen in the future and they have come from a past that is so valuable.

Every word is a full of seeds that they will inspire so many and they will generate a very powerful environment. Every word brings up the best of mine, cultivated along the years.

Every action I do is a seed for someone else to change their lives, besides it turns into a brick of the house I will live in the future.

It is a present we should treasure at every moment.

Dreaming is the most important thing – Reason 63

The present can be uncertain, the past is sometimes foggy and the future is completely unknown, but dreams have the effect of helping us to live our lives.

Then, after a certain age or period of time, dreams just stop for most people.   Ironically it seems initially like a blessing, because the person starts to flow with life.  You probably know the feeling: eat whatever is there, do whatever the boss says, laugh when it is supposed to and, of course, cry at the right moment.

Leaders don’t fall into that trap, because they know the present moments may also be clearer if there are dreams or goals, in fact even the past takes on a different meaning.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

 

Fearing death or living forever

Some people think of life as the time they spend between being born and dying. Quite often they are the people who are always worried and complaining, criticizing and creating problem. Nothing is totally good for them and satisfaction is a word they don’t know much. The good side is that they don’t create much attachment to others, but lots of attachment to their own body and personality, their own way of living.

Other people think they will live forever and they dedicate themselves to have more and more. They don’t mind about the future as such, because… future? What future? All will be OK… A big advantage is that they are frequently in a good humored stage and they easily adapt themselves. But, of course, one day they get old and the fragility of human life knocks at their door.

An alternative thought?

Spirituality helps you to live the now, without forgetting the tomorrow and honoring the lessons of the past.

Although death is certain, spiritual people neither fear death nor avoid thinking about it. When it is time to go, a person knows he has to go, and that is ok; meanwhile, life is to be lived at its full extension, full of love, peace and happiness.

A spiritual person knows he will live forever, but not physically. A soul is thought as being immortal, but its container, the body, is perishable. To deal with this ambiguity, we can remind ourselves of that old quote: We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

It is easy: live fully by connecting with the best of you and think of life as a big experience that will enrich you as a being.

Present, past and future

Practically speaking, we all live in the present and no matter how much we remember our past or plan and dream our future, we still live in the present moment. However, over and over we think of our past and future, and they clearly interfere in our present.

Good or bad, this creates some stress in people as they can't change their past and they can't really control their future completely. Probably, that's why in many meditation practices the person starts by focusing in the here and now.

It is healthy to learn how to deal with those subtle pressures we put on ourselves, after all we have many other real pressures to deal with...

• Your present is the key. The more satisfied, happy and peaceful you are, the less your past and future will affect your present life. So, make some effort to sort circumstances out and live a life you really want to live.
• Your past is, well, past... Anytime our past tries to creep into your life, remind yourself that is already past and it cannot change. Of course, if that past gives you some kind of positivism (as good memories do), it is OK, but don't let it unfocus of your present effort and life.
• Your future is not! It will be at some point, and nobody can really foresee that. Yes, you can plan, and it is good to have a vision, objective and aims in life, but with detachment in case they don't happen.
• Every day, live your day. At the beginning of the day and at its end, focus in the here and now. Experience the life you have, the thoughts you think and appreciate that effort.
• The present is a present for you. After all, your present contains a summary of your past and the seeds to your future. Focus on the present and you'll be honoring the past and generating a brilliant future.

Hummm

One of the big struggles people face nowadays is their own past. Yes, forget about Libya and the American economical crisis, your past disturbs you more than anything happen in the world today, small or big.

Yes. It is not easy to accept that, but the past visits me sometimes, to remind me of dark times and huge walls I cannot cross. Past teaches me to give up and to surrender to the world around. Or, it tells me to fight until I am weary, until I am on the floor. Perhaps the past teaches me to just complain and everything will look better - hey, blame someone else and you will see how your own burden gets light. A "wiser" past tells me to go into the theory of my own life, it will give me the wonderful feeling I know it all.

But... only but... I start to pay attention to this teacher. I start to read between lines, to catch its wisdom rather than its information or knowledge. And I really start to learn from my past. I learn light is better than shadows and I have it in myself, others also have it and I just have to switch it on - yes! the reason of the darkness I lived was not the absence of light, it was the fact I did not know how to switch it on.

I learn about the doors and windows in these huge walls that allow me to cross them so easily, and that I must go on - giving up and surrendering is simply not an option, it was a test by my teacher, the past, to see if I was alert. Sorry, no fight at the school, and instead of complaints, it is better to do something better. In a school, there are no blames, we are all learners, and my burden is my backpack, which is really nothing.

The wisest past is teaching me to understand life so that I can live it better.

Thank you, my sweet past, to bring me to this wonderful present.

Take care all of you!

You can be a student of the past, or a victim of the past.

Anthony Strano