Learn from the past.
Enjoy the moment.
Create the future.
Learn from the past – consider what your past has taught you. Our mistakes are opportunities for great learning and catalysts for change, should we choose to view them as such. Consciously strive to regret less and to learn. Accept what is past and understand that the past is memories of a life we are fortunate to have, with valuable lessons for the future.
Enjoy the moment – as much as I am a fan of setting goals, living in perceptions of the future is not a way to happiness. It is a waste of life. If you have trouble appreciating your present, remind yourself of how short life really is, how much time has already passed, think of all the experiences you wish to have. It helps, I think, to have some context of what life is about – a purpose, whatever that is to you. Be present in the moment, be absorbed in what you do, however mundane. Seek pleasure and at the same time, do not be afraid of discomfort or unhappiness.
Create the future – there are lots of cliches – failing to plan is planning to fail, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you’ve gotten there? The future is the culmination of the past and the present. Having a vision of your life and seeking to achieve that vision can be tremendously comforting and rewarding, through good times and bad. Do not forget you create your life just as surely regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not.
Filed under: Happiness, Life, Philosophy
