Past, Present, Future: Where Do You Spend Your Time?

Time was once described to me as “endless moments of now”. And that is true because as soon as we try to think about ‘this’ moment… it is gone. It’s in the past and that moment in the future you are looking forward to — well it just became now, and as now became the past you can see time really is a wonderful thing!

Some people focus on what “should” have happened or what “should” happen instead of on what “is” happening. They blame others for slights that occurred decades ago and unfortunately, they are usually the only one who remembers this. They have difficulty forgiving others or themselves and this prevents them from letting go and moving forward in a healthy manner.

Others think so much about all the things that “might” happen in the future that they are unable to enjoy what is going on right now. They expect the worst from relatives, near and dear ones and a myriad of things that they not only cannot control but might actually never happen.

Most people don’t replay over and over the events in their past that made them smile. The replay the fears, the sadness, the failures, and they take that doubt, that fear and that sadness into the present, and believe that is what the future holds. If living in the past is dictating your future, it’s time to get out. You should be using your past for lessons and as reference points of success — that’s it.

So wherever you are in your life right now, enjoy it! Enjoy the present as the quote goes — “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery and Today is a gift: that’s why we call it — The Present.” — Unknown Author

The importance of time has been taught to all of us since childhood. Whenever we were told to make the most of the time we were living, it had a deeper meaning. It directly pointed to the fact that the time once gone will never return. We might not have understood the deep underlying meaning at that time, but today none of us can deny this hardcore fact.

The Past

The past is meant to learn from. It gives us various such instances where we were wrong and we required correction. We must learn from the mistakes that we committed in the past and try to rectify them in the time to come.

The Present

Sometimes today is filled with boredom and loneliness. Sometimes it seems stressful and challenging. The best way to deal with the present, is to have all your wits about you so that you can choose interesting ways to address what is in front of you. When your thoughts, feelings and behaviors are devoted to the past or the future, you are robbing today! You cannot reach your potential and make good choices if you are trying to resolve issues from the past or predict the future.

The Future

Fear, control, perfectionism, worry and anxiety are all cousins. Sometimes people focus all their energy on what hasn’t even happened yet. Their fear causes them to want to control things and often leads to perfectionism, worry and anxiety. “What if… ?” is a frequent phrase used by individuals who tend to focus on the future.

The one question you will regret for the rest of eternity if you do not act to change now is “What if I tried this or that?” Do you want to be saying that when you are ready to leap into the grave, watching your life flashing before your eyes? “What if, What if, What if?”

No matter what your situation, you always have the option to change. We are all able to re-start our life if we make the decision to do so, but your way of thinking has to change. Just let go of old thoughts that no longer work for you and allow change to take place. It is important to remember that your misfortune is not the fault of others; they are not to blame for what happens to you. Our situations are not the result of what others force upon us, it is the result of what we are not allowing to manifest in our life.

We often let our old self become comfortable, it becomes our security, but it also becomes our obstacle keeping us from moving when we do not even realize it. At the same time we blame everyone else around us as much as we can to make up for what we are not doing for ourselves. Stop doing it now and start valuing your life by making the right decision to bring you toward happiness and fulfillment.

We all have a story. It’s written one moment at a time, one experience at a time. Use this moment right now to the fullest. Your future self will thank you. Keep dreaming in color.