I have a somewhat interesting take on life and it is quite obvious to be honest with you. I have always considered life at any time, to be a sum total of every single past decision, no matter how small or how big.
I think I have mentioned this in some of my previous posts too. Anyways, you are in this moment right now because of your past decisions. And I don’t just mean you reading this post in this moment.
Your career, your friend circle, your health status, financial status and every other aspect of your life is defined by your past. That’s kind of obvious, if you think about it right?
So, basically what I am trying to say is that the present is defined by our past. But what about the future? Does the future have to be defined by our past too?
To Some Extent, Yes!
Technically, the future and the past are divided by a very blurry, fleeting moment we call the present. Think about it. One second from now will become one second ago, within a snap of the finger! The whole moment transitions from the future to the past and the present can be considered as just the transition period.
So, with that line of thought, of course, the past defines the future because we simply can’t change within a second. I hope I am explaining myself clearly here.
In simpler words, the past defines your short term future. For there to be a totally different future, you would have to change the old patterns. Patterns, being the most important term here.
It might be difficult to notice sometimes but we all have a pattern of living and that basically shapes our future. So, any drastic change in the future, would require a drastic change in this pattern.
The Past Doesn’t Have To Define The Future
Of course, even a single decision can lead to a big difference in the future. The butterfly effect states as much. We have all heard of stories where a single small decision saved some people’s lives.
But, I think I am talking here about a more conscious change or a more conscious set of pattern that we would like for ourself in the immediate or even a more distant future.
Let’s say you have been going through some really bad phase in regards to your health. All this, because of your bad habits. So, in the immediate future, of course, the effects of those habits will last.
But a conscious choice of doing away with all those bad habits and only applying the good ones, would ensure a healthy future, albeit in a more distant future. We all have the power of shaping our future. We just need conscious effort.
I think one's future is influenced more by what image they have of themselves in their mind and their intuitions rather than the decisions that they made in the past. You can't change your past obviously but you can certainly change your actions by altering your perspective.
I am with you on this one!
Hello @lucygarrod
Have you seen your page on steemhost
It reminds me that you haven't posted in a little bit ...
Hey David, I hope you are doing well. Yes I have been just caught up with life last couple of weeks. I will go to steemhost soon and post something 😊
I cannot believe I am saying this but I hope that your life for the last couple of weeks has been mundane ... I know that getting caught up in an interesting life isn't a good thing. You actually don't need to go to steemhost to post anything... just post on steemit or busy like you normally do. When you do post if you can suggest that people visit you at steemhost.com/@lucygarrod, both you and the visitors will receive a reward from the advertising (which isn't free). I hope that you are satisfied with the banner on your site. I have never visited Malta but I think the panorama that I used is quite scenic.
Thank for you and most welcome to sir@jentlebot..
Oh yeah! Self image certainly counts. People want to be what they already think about themselves. And that can certainly be one of the greatest motivations. The past decisions shape you as a person in the present. It doesn't have to define your future as you consciously strive to change.
I think of this as a best-of-three-sets tennis match. Imagine the first set is your past which you lost. So it's a bad past. Now imagine the second set is just about to get over, this is present, and you are one point away from winning this set after which it too will be past. But then think about it, your future, the crucial third set that will decide the winner of this match, will no way depend on the first set that you lost if you win the second set because going into the third set, you will be going in with the motivation and form you will gain after you win this one point and win the second set, the present. So I guess it all comes down to the present. Our present define our future and past is pretty much irrelevant.
Well put brother! Well put.... I think this is what I was trying to convey in the post as well :)
Well said! @sauravrungta. I couldn't agree more. Our long term future is determined by the actions we take now. Whatever we are experiencing now is the effect of past actions. But tomorrow, today would be our past, so if I am accustomed to being punished for late coming at school because i always failed to sleep early and I wanted tomorrow to be different, I would make a conscious effort to sleep early today!
I really enjoyed this piece @sauravrungta...thanks for sharing!Habits are hard to drop, but we shouldn't forget that they were formed over time. They would also not go away in a second but with a conscious effort to change them and over time.
I agree with you. Every change requires conscious effort. I hope we are all able to live a more healthy and happy life :)
Indeed. Those who sacrifice a lot now are the ones who are going to make it big in the upcoming future. Anyway, our life is in our hands and we can change it in the way that we wish! Need a strong determination for that though.
I totally agree :)
the core is always in our hands. if we allow our past to define our future, there will be an irresistible drawback. I do tell myself, the challenges i face today cannot define my future though those challenges help us learn to some extent on how to solve issues in the future, but allow the negative aspect of the past to define your future, i think is a bad idea. wonderful post.
That's exactly the point. Carry forward the lessons but not the negativity. Thanks for reading :)
Today is nothing more than tomorrow's yesterday....
No doubt we are where we are based on the sum of all decisions made along the way...unfortunately...for some of us...based on difficult upbringings and later experiences...our decision making process is not always the healthiest...we did the best we could at the time...but...looking back...we shake our head at some of the choices we made or didn't make....
As well...aging makes it a lot harder to "turn the ship around" so to speak...but based on time spent truly getting to know my inner voice...I can approach life differently today than I did in past "todays".....
Yup, the past decisions define your present not your future if one is willing to turn the ship around. We can always change our paths and I personally believe that age is just a number.
I am more along the lines that the past "influences" the future. Having free will allows us to edit our path when we deem necessary.
That's exactly right! :)
That is a great saying!!
yes..your past ( experiences) absolutely DOES define your future
But can't we change paths midways? Let's say someone was a janitor their entire life, now they want to become an actor. The past experience of being a janitor wouldn't define is acting career now, would it?
Our past does not have to define us. There is always a way to make up for past mistakes and change as a person to reshape our life.
That is exactly right :)