“The past is a ghost, the future a dream and all we ever have is now”. – Bill Cosby
Have you ever heard it said: forget the past, don’t worry about the future, just live in the present? There is a certain element of truth in this statement.
Many of us live life defined by the choices we’ve made in the past. However, this shouldn’t be the case. Each new day we have an opportunity to become a new person, on a new road, and destined for a new future.
What happens to people who block out the past?
If you block out the past you miss out on its fullest potential. There are valuable lessons to learn from the past. If you choose to ask the right questions about your past you can live the fullest life possible in the present.
I would like you to take some time to answer the following questions, which will help you to gain insight into how present your past is in your life today?
1.What is the earliest memory that you can remember from your childhood? (Try to recall a specific event or experience, not just a feeling or impression.
2. What are the impressions you have of yourself in this memory?
3. What are the impressions that you have of each of the people who are associated with your memory?
4. How has this memory contributed to the evolution of your personal history and past behaviours or actions?
5. How might the experience you had back then have impacted the way in which you relate to yourself today?
6. How might the experience you had back then have impacted the way in which you relate to other people today?
