New Perspective on Your Past and Present


Post by Sharon 

You don't get to our baby boomers' ages without having a long past with lots of challenges, rewards, growth, mistakes, and more. But there is a way to put it into a framework where it makes some sense. (That's me in the top right at 11 years) 

Some folks call it God's will, others call it mistakes, regrets, or stupid youth, but everything you went through guided you to an arrival point on your timeline. 

If you look at it from your future self's standpoint, it becomes an obvious conclusion as to where you arrive down the line.




Why is it dysfunctional to look at the past to figure out the future?

One way to look at your life and how being stuck in the past is harmful and dangerous is to ask - Do you walk backwards?

When you head down the sidewalk to get somewhere, do you face where you were and look at where you've been/your launching spot or do you face forward toward your goal/target direction? - The store, the house, the school, etc, that you want to arrive at?

Why do we do this? Why do we face forward? Because our eyes and feet are forward directed to be certain we get to where we want to arrive.

If we were to walk backwards, we would see the same scene we already knew, we wouldn't know if our goal is in sight, we would trip, and get in the way of our own potential progress. Everything would be labored, exhausting and hopeless. 


Past focus produces hopelessness because nothing changes.

Start every day facing forward, studying the horizon - that's the goal. Anything behind you is only an obstacle and a path you already treaded.

And, as you go toward you goal, you see new sights, encounter new people, new situations and that novelty makes you adaptive and mature. 

Would you ever judge what's across town based on what is outside your home? Then why do we get stuck thinking that everything will be just like the past? Same outcomes, same people, same situations. 

(present day me guiding the sixth grade me - above)

Now, let's take the perspective of your future self guiding your present self to get to that place you are down the road of life - 

Did those challenges, losses, obstacles make you stronger and more resilient or did they break you?

Depending on how you handle the challenges, losses, and obstacles, your future self could be two vastly different people. 

Your broken future self is likely bitter and cowering and is guiding you now to make decisions that will keep you broken, break you more. (Remember referencing where you've been to gauge your journey instead of being future-oriented)?

The other future self is teaching you resilience and determination to get to this rewarding and dynamic endpoint on the timeline.

Future you, let's say 85-year-old you, has gotten to a spot in the future and looks back, guiding the past you to get to that point. All you have to decide is what is 85-year-old you like? Is he blaming others and circumstances and bitter and regretful or is he crediting all his decisions and experiences for making him the adaptable man he is now? 

Can that future you guide you to that point in time, like a person coaxing a dog with a treat to come across the floor? Can you encourage from a future standpoint the person you are right now at this moment in time? 

Our lives are like a map. You go on a trip and you figure out your end point and then how to get there becomes apparent. 




What do you want to be able to say about your life experiences and where do you want to be in a relationship or financially, in respect to location or health? Once you know 85-year-old you and you realize the future is guiding your present decisions and situations, you begin to understand everything you go through gets you THERE. 

Here's a hint - anything that you believe you will regret at the end of your life, perhaps spending too much time at work, not enough time with family, not hiking enough, never seeing another country - those are things future you would direct you to focus on. 

There is no better way to feel you are aligned with your destiny than to realize your future self, who has obtained a situation you desire, is guiding your choices right now. 

Future you is poking you, reminding you to workout today to be in good health and circulation as you get to his place in the future.

Future you is giving you a challenge right now to be sure you gain both a new skill set and determination to go through and not around things. This skill will help you in another two years when another obstacle presents itself that is critical to getting to the end point in the future.


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