Who else has learned that dwelling on the past causes developmental atrophy and suffering?

Question

I used to think that going over my past was the way to clear things up. But all that happened was depression...of my energy and my spirit.

I wrote about this movement away from the past and into the Present this morning on my 360 blog. http://360.yahoo.com/profile-7edac9olerWK7FXI5yivjfM-

Check it out if your a fellow surfer of consciousness and/or on the path to developmental, psychological, physical and spiritual enlightenment. ;-) (I want the whole shebang :-))

Blessings

Answer 1

Good post. forgiveness is key! it's so easy to let bad things from your past haunt you - i realized in college that a falling out with close high school friends had been in my thoughts almost every day for years! there was so much negativity and regret, and it prevented me from branching out again. you have to consciously figure out who deserves forgiveness and how to forgive internally even if those people are no longer in your life. even if you can't say it out loud to the person, it matters how you arrange your own thoughts. i had to forgive myself, too - consciously - affirming that everybody makes mistakes. i literally felt a weight lift off my chest. even now, years later, those feelings of regret and loss sometimes find their way back and i have to repeat the process - but it works. it's a path back to living and being happy in the present! definitely, learn from your mistakes, but don't wallow around in regret or anger.

Answer 2

Indeed, though it depends on how one dwells. :) Having survived a relatively traumatic childhood, and a fairly unfulfilling career in the Air Force, I use what wisdom I have gained from the past to shape my future, and to bring a positive change to the world where I can. We all have something to learn from, and by studying our past (both individually, and collectively) we can put forth a better effort to prevent bad things from repeating themselves.
One shouldn't only focus on the negative, however, lest they become mired in it. If you're only living in the past, and not today and tomorrow, then you're not growing beyond whatever part of the past you're living in- atrophy as you so aptly say.
Certain memories are to be cherished, others serve as warnings and reminders- that's why we have memories in the first place- they help shape us, but only through our individual choices can we define who we are.
I could become really bitter if I dwell on how I joined the Air Force as an officer to be a modern day knight, and make a positive difference in the world, only to be exposed to mold in a nasty basement office, get asthma, and be "down-sized" after only 3 years when I planned on 20-30... but I have good memories as well and figure there's something better for me out there to do, and will use what knowledge and wisdom I have gained along the way so as to better myself and the world around.

Answer 3

I've learned that living with the past in front of you everyday is very tiring and can be painful.

Then, as a psyc grad student I've learned that this fact has been corroborated empirically! So, not only by personal experience I know it, but it's been shown that most people function better when they focus on the present.

Good post.

Answer 4

Our commitment to personal responsibility, self-empowerment, and personal accountability inspires each of us to be our best. You must learn from the past but you don't have to relive it. Your past can help determin where you are going in the future.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. Red Queen; Alice In Wonderland

Answer 5

We have the present and the future. We can change that. We can't change the past. We can forgive ourselves for our mistakes, learn from them and move on. It took me a long time to be able to do that but now my life is so much happier.