- Quality of Life & Wellness»
- Personal Development
Live in the Light of Today
Where is your thinking the majority of the time?
Close the Door on the Past
"The past is history" according to the old tourtise, Grand
- Quality of Life & Wellness»
- Personal Development
Live in the Light of Today
Where is your thinking the majority of the time?
Close the Door on the Past
"The past is history" according to the old tourtise, Grand Master Oogway, in the popular movie "Kung Fu Panda." It is easy to blame our current problems on the difficulties of the past, the people involved with them, and the circumstances that resulted. Doing so, however, removes the responsibility from ourselves and puts it on others. The only result is unhappiness.
In order to live in the present, the past needs to be accepted and dealt with in a healthy manner. Our memories are just that, memories. Each time they are processed through our brains and into our concious minds, the memories change depending upon our current circumstances. If our circumstances are negative, we see the negative details of the memory, and they become exaggerated, leaving us feeling worse.
The only way to release the grip these memories have on our present is to learn from them. Learning from the past requires removing ourselves from the memory and seeing it from a different point of view. Looking at the incident from the perspective of someone else, we are able to see ourselves differently. We begin to realize that some things that happen are beyond the control of those involved, and could not have been changed or avoided.
Our core belief’s interpretation of our past experience determines our automatic reaction, or our emotional response. If we perceive the situation as being against us, or against our beliefs, our automatic reaction is negative. If we see it as being for us, or benefiting us in some way, then our reaction is positive.— The Emotional Survival Handbook
- Types of Adversity
There are many sources of difficulty in life. Some come from our own choices and actions and some come from the choices and actions of those around us.
There may be moments where we realize that it really wasn't our fault, or anyone else's for that matter. Perhaps the event was triggered by an accident, a natural event, or even someone else's choices that we do not know. Seeing the events from a different perspective allows us to accept them as they happened, and to learn from them.
We can make the conciouis choice to find something positive in the event. Perhaps our lives are different as a result, or we can make the choice not to act as others did when they did something hurtful. In any case, the consious act of choice enables us to choose the path of happiness and peace, rather than blame, guilt, and misery.
Once we have learned from the past, we can close the door on it and allow it to become part of the foundational learning of life rather than a constant reminder of pain and heartache. The addition of a solid foundation underneath our current home, or current self-worth, allows the present to be more sure and progress steady.
- How Excitement Can Easily Turn Into Worry and Anxiety
Excitement is an anticipatory emotion. Left unchecked, it can evolve into worry, and eventually to anxiety. Setting limits on anticipation keeps this from occurring.
Close the Door on the Future
"The future is but a mystery," Oogway tells Po. We don't know what will happen tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that. We can plan and prepare, but we cannot predict. Closing the door on the future means closing the door on our speculations, our "what if's," and our worries. Thinking about what might happen only makes our bodies react with fear.
Anticipating positive events is excitement. And yet, even excitement needs to have its boundaries. Small children have no sense of time, therefore, telling them about future events needs to be limited to close proximity to those events. As adults, we set our own limitations on the anticipation of the future, or we may fantasize ourselves into obsessions and delusions. Unfulfilled expectations are the stuff of which depression is made. Anxiety and worry go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other!
Closing the door on the future is setting limits on our anticipation. We do not know what will happen, however, we do know what we do in the present affects the future. Preparation ensures that we are ready with high quality responses. Continual preparation leaves no time for living in the present and leads 