June 23, 2015 - Ghosts

Lesson of the Day

 Our pasts are always with us. You cannot discard of it without also discarding all that your past has made you. From time to time it's okay to visit the past, to reminisce about good times and remember lessons from past pains. However, we must remember that we exist in this moment, not in any other. We have to focus on what exists and what can exist, not on what we wish could have been or what used to be. I often find myself in this very situation, stuck in the past. What I've learned is that the more you stay with ghosts, the more you become one. The longer I'm stuck in the past, the more I lose in the present: I fade. My mind is in the past, so my focus isn't on what I'm doing. I make more mistakes, I don't appreciate what I have, I'm irritable, blinded, unbalanced, because half of myself isn't in the moment. We need to focus on the present as much as we can, looking to the past for inspiration and guidance, but never for a place to stay. Rather than longing for what was, we need to make what exists better, we need to make a future that's better. We need to dare to believe that what is coming can be greater that what we've had. I understand that this can be scary, can be hard, it's like giving up a crutch to struggle more. But, it is worth it. When we learn from and let go of the past, we can build a future that is brighter than any gem of the past. It will always be there, but you make the choice to either let it break you and keep you down, or to go on and make it better.

Question of the Day

What ghosts from your past keep you from living each day in the present? What things from your past have had the most impact on who you are? Do you know your own potential?

Gratitude

I'm grateful for my past, as it made me who I am, because I'm realizing that I'm a pretty good guy. I'm grateful for my mom, and as always, for each moment that I'm alive. What are you grateful for? What has made you smile today?