Do not live in the past – be positive

LIFE is about the future. People often look back on their past life and try to remember the good times and bad times, any mistakes made, wrong steps taken and try to blame themselves or somebody else. It is good to look back, but do not get stuck there. Life is always about the future. Living for the future makes it more hopeful and peaceful. You can plan for the future.

Swami Vivekananda said, “What is done is done…Do not repeat, do not brood over past deeds… You can’t undo; the effect must come, face it, but be careful never do the same thing again.” What does it mean? We cannot change our past, and therefore, there is no meaning in repenting for any mistakes made. Whatever mistakes or wrong decisions you made in the past, you need to face the outcome and do not make the same mistakes again.

“Nothing can be done in one day. Religion cannot be swallowed in the form of a pill. It requires hard and constant practice. The mind can be conquered only by slow and steady practice,” Vivekananda said.

Living for the future is different for different generations. Each generation passes through a different world and circumstances. If my grandparents came back alive, they would not recognize this world; even the place where they lived, the house they were living in, is gone; the village, the people, everything is changed. Only things that do not change much are food habits, which also change and how we eat the food. The culture of the people is not supposed to change, but the technology and developments in science, medicine, engineering, etc. change the culture of the people.

We always think about our past, our childhood, our adulthood, school life, college life, neighbours, and grandparents and often feel nostalgic. Thinking is good, but no need to dwell on that. Think about today and tomorrow, the rest of your life, which you cannot predict but still can plan; your children and grandchildren, and their lives, which you may not see. 

Enjoy today; lead a positive and productive life. Do something useful and good for others. Stay active in the community. Keep in touch with your school and college friends, your neighbours with whom you grew up, your cousins, uncles and aunts. 

Make life beautiful by being positive about the future. Don’t get stuck thinking about the past; the future can be brighter. The future is unpredictable. Therefore, you need to keep a positive attitude about the future. 

Again, thinking about the future depends on your age; a tean ager things differently from a senior citizen, one looking for a long future life and the other looking for an unpredictable short future life. For both, life can be beautiful by being positive and ready to work for a better future. 

Wish you all a bright future. Think positive, speak positive and act positive.