SHOULD WE REGRET OUR PAST?

Many of us look to the past with regret and say:  “If I had a chance to go into the past, I would do (insert subject/situation) over.”  When I hear this, the only question I have is – Why?  What would change today if you were able to change the past?  Why look at the past with regret and sadness.  Instead of looking in the past with regret, think about your past and all the lessons you have learned.  Would you have learned these things if you were able to change the past?

When we hang onto our past and reminisce about the ‘what if’s’ and ‘why’s’ we are unable to move forward in the current moment.  How many of us think about someone that has wronged us in the past and think about what they are doing now?  How will this thought benefit you today when that moment is gone forever?  And, who cares what that person is doing today – what matters is what YOU are doing today.  If your past is dictating how you feel today or getting in the way of your happiness in this moment and in the now, maybe seeking some counselling would be a great source to move towards happiness and resolvement.

When people ask me the following question:  “If you can go to the past and do one thing differently what would that be?” – My answer would be as follows:

“Nothing – everything I have done in my life came with lessons and without those lessons, I would not be the man I am today.  I look to the past without any regret.”

I embrace the life lessons I learned, I am embrace the changes that those lessons allowed to happen and I embrace the resolutions that all the things I have done in the past have created for me today.  I love to be completely present in the moment – I try not to look to much into the future because, like in the past, I have no control of the outcome.  You can plan and schedule things in the future – but we all know that they are ‘tentative’ and may change at any moment, so why give to much time to what is unknown? 

The most important moments in our lives ARE RIGHT NOW.  The words I am typing on this blog are ‘realtime’ – they are allowing me to live in this moment.  To share with you my personal views of why we should not regret anything in our past and not be too quick to look into the future – when we do this, you are missing all the amazing things that are happening RIGHT NOW, in the present moment.  FEEL THE PRESENT MOMENT and LOVE IT – allow it to make you feel alive, happy, healthy and know that being present in the NOW is how we should feel everyday.

When we live in the NOW – we are present in whatever it is we are doing.  That could be advocating for the environment, animals, women’s rights, equality or loving your job, your spouse, you home, the dinner with a friend, the beauty of the modern world or just people gazing.  Live in the moement, live in the NOW and don’t let anything pass you by.

(Original are by Robert Pavao – contact me if you are interested in any prints/posters)

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!