Here is a quote – Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals…
—Jack Canfield
Most of us don’t find our past interesting or motivating because when we delve into it, we never focus on the positives we accumulated through all those years. Revisiting the past is all about becoming nostalgic for people who we loved and forgot as life moved on… Nothing is wrong with being nostalgic about people or occurrences that we cherish in our mind and heart; however, whether we focus on deriving the positives from it or still tremble at the mention of negative thoughts is the real differentiator that makes or mars our progress.
After all, the past is always a wonderful place to visit to seek inspiration, relive memories and, of course, reenergize our spirits when we are feeling low about things happening in the present. When we do so, we can find out what brought us here – the present moment – apart from factors that didn’t allow us to reach our dream destination. Anyone who doesn’t forget his past is sure not to make mistakes that he did at some point in time. Our past paves the way for a brighter future provided that either we have or we develop the habit of learning from every moment.
Point of view does matter
My past is not about regrets, there are no bad memories. There are only lessons learned that made me grow stronger for my future. Instead of allowing your past to dictate who you are, make it a tool to strengthen the idea of what you would love to become. When you can feel the positivity inherent in your past, you will look towards the future with confidence. Rather than considering your experiences as bad memories, see them as important lessons that will help you stay focused and more determined than you were ever before. Draw together all the positivity from your past and channelize it in a way that your future bears its clear impression.
Past successes prepare you for a better future
An anonymous thinker says, ‘Dear past, thank you for all the lessons. Dear future, I’m now ready.’ It’s effortlessly easy to decipher the sense of gratitude for gleefully lived moments and their significance. Our past teaches us some very important lessons about life, which eventually prepares us for tasks and challenges ahead of them.
Anytime you revisit your past to remember incidents, such as how upbeat you were when receiving your graduate degree or how you helped a friend in finding a new house, you start loving your actions, achievements, and ready-to-help attitude. Such passionate recollections – when they become a part of your future endeavors – allow you to feel lively and optimistic from within, thus readying you for your next step. As you can never alter your past decisions, do something meaningful every day to change your future.
Even smaller memories lead to greater positivity
We don’t always need to search for major achievements or grand occasions when turning the leaves of our past. A moment well-spent becomes a valuable memory to cherish forever. On the other hand, the years spent aimlessly do nothing good for an individual. Remembering a flower blossoming, a scenic sunset or stream flowing calmly; crazy friends and their idiosyncratic ways; and, of course, your first advances to the love of your life, all these memories induce positivity in a person.
All those little things and little moments are there to stay with you forever. Therefore, anytime you feel low about yourself or things around, allow yourself some time to recall all those things and moments that once brought a smile to your face.
