“If you focus on what you left behind you will never see what lies ahead.” Gusteau, Ratatouille

How much of your time do you spend looking back?

 

All of us have things in our lives we wish we had done differently. Times we should have turned right when we turned left. People we wish we’d spent more time with. Others we wish we had steered clear of altogether. Opportunities we believe we should have pursued. Chances we should have taken and ones we shouldn’t have. Sometimes we call them regrets. Other times learning experiences.

 

Learning experiences and just experiences

Other things are just experiences– either ones we could have done without or ones we embrace with our full hearts.

 

Every day we go forward adds more regrets and triumphs to the reservoir that makes up our past. As we’re trying to go ahead and create our future, the past is like a small child tugging at our shirt sleeve for attention. The regrets imploring us to be wary and pursue with caution or not at all. The triumphs crowing over their glory.

 

 

Those are a lot of demands for our attention. The thing is, the past has happened. There is absolutely no changing it, no matter how much we dwell on it. There is no re-living it, regardless of how much time we spend there. One of the most important things we can do in our lives is learn to stop giving the past attention it doesn’t deserve.

 

Leave the past where it is, In the past

 

In regards to regrets, remind yourself you did what you thought was right at the time. It simply didn’t work out. The real regret from today’s stand point is every moment wasted dwelling on what was. Pledge to never take those same steps again and move on.

 

The glories of our lives are great–in the moment they’re happening. The time spent remembering them or reliving them afterwards are just about as debilitating for our future selves as the time spent dwelling on regrets. Either you will beat out those glories with better ones or you won’t. Regardless, the most important moment is now because it’s your chance to do what you’re here to do. Live your life appreciating each moment for what it is while striving towards the great ones.