Then and Now

I find that sometimes I compare my past self to my present self in such a way that it becomes nostalgic. While many look upon nostalgia fondly, I consider it to be a form of negative thinking as I focus on what I used to have — what I used to do and don’t do now, the things I used to own that don’t own now, the things I used to have that are lost to me now. In a way, it’s the manifestation of regret — the regret I feel that I’ve lost some of my ways over the course of life, that I’ve changed, or that my life isn’t what it used to be. What I fail to realise, however, is that while I’m going in a downward spiral, it is the culmination of all that I’ve learned that has brought me to where I am and who I am today. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if the past version of myself was who I am today, if I hadn’t changed in the way that I did, if I hadn’t learned all that I did over the years, and it frightens me. Fortunately, utilising a simple mind exercise is enough to get me to stop regretting the past and focus on what I have to do now and where I want to be in the future. Being nostalgic is inherently part of our nature as human beings but becoming productive and efficient are things that we need to train in order to perfect. We often take ourselves and our progress for granted, but if we examine all that we’ve accomplished over the course of our lives, we’d be impressed! I look at myself and see a multitude of choices — I am here thanks to both the good and the bad choices I have made in the past. The good choices propelled me forwards while the bad ones held me back, but in the process they made me stronger and more resilient. We can lose a lot throughout our journey, but the knowledge we gained is the greatest asset we will ever have. What is your biggest regret and what did it teach you?