It seems like every time I hang out with certain groups of people, all they like to talk about is the past. Reminiscing is an okay thing to do and there were some good times to be had in the past, but in general it’s not something I enjoy.
In fact I say thinking and spending lots of time reminiscing about old times is toxic.
Why is simply thinking about the past toxic? From what I understand our thoughts create and can change our biology. Look into quantum mechanics as well as the scientists and researches at the heart math institute. And if you’re so inclined you can follow the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto and Dr. Bruce Lipton for more information on that.
On top of that we’ve all had anecdotal experiences where a simple bit of bad news or a phone call can cause all kinds of bodily reactions. We know that our thoughts directly affect our biology.
Follow me here.
Assuming its true that our thoughts affect how our body works, then what happens when you think about the past and how great it was? Obviously deep down inside you wish it were the past right now. You wish you could go back to the days of your youth when times were care free and fun loving.
But you know that life’s not like that now. The world has changed. This creates within you a certain amount of struggle and discontent. You wish things were a certain way and they are not. The present moment isn’t the way you want it to be and not only that but you can’t control it, which further creates a subconscious discontentment.
All this is happening deep down on a subconscious biochemical level. We don’t actively and consciously think that we’re not satisfied with the present moment when we’re having that great conversation with friends about the past. But it’s happening at the cellular and even quantum level.
Not only are we discontent with the present (subconsciously that is) when we’re talking about old times, but we’re also saying to ourselves that we can’t do something just as fun or creative now.
If you go to an old folks home or “retirement community” as they’re called these days, you’ll notice that everybody talks about the past. They talk about the “good ol’ days”. You’ll hear stories of high school or college escapades. You’ll hear stories about relationships that happened in the past, and what could have been.
You don’t often hear about people enjoying the present moment or what plans they have for the future. You see, when we stop dreaming and being creative, we stop feeling like we have any purpose. If you’re constantly talking about the past and “what could have been” or what was, you’re probably not living an inspired life.
I make it a goal of mine not to dwell on the past. I’m still working on it but I’m definitely aware of it happening.
Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you have to stop dreaming about future plans or how you can contribute to the world. Jay Kordich started businesses at the rip old age of 78 and Louise Hay started Hay House Publishing when she was 59. If you want some inspirations from seniors read this article and you’ll learn that it’s never too late to try something new.
The next time you find yourself spending lots of time talking about or thinking about the past, do what you can to steer the conversation into the present moment. If you can’t steer the conversation that way, focus on future plans, goals and aspirations. Try to get the other person to think about what they want to do in the future.
I realize there is no past and there is no future but if we’re going to focus on one, let’s focus on reaching some goals so that we can inspire some people shall we?
We’ve spent enough time living in the past and since we can’t change it, let’s dream about some things that we can change, the future.
What do you think?
