As people, we have a habit of looking into the past and grieving what we used to have. This can happen in a myriad of ways. You might think about what it was like to be a child not worrying about taxes, how you looked in the past, who you used to be friends with, or who you used to go out with. We constantly remember the past and want what we had to come back to us.
Ever since I became conscious of this ideology and how to combat it, I found that to stop taking time for granted, as cliché as it sounds, is to take each day a step at a time. Usually, we hear that we need to appreciate the bad days, and sometimes that can be annoying. Trust me, I have had my fair share of hearing that and completely ignoring it, which is why the days that help me appreciate each moment are boring.
I’m talking about the days when I’m home alone, binging TV and eating an entire bag of Life Savers gummies. Or when I work until my feet hurt. The mundane days where I have nothing to look forward to are the days that lead to the most fun. I find that sometimes, without even realizing it, those are the days you’re looking back and reminiscing on. Do your future self a favor by appreciating what you have right now.
For example, I changed my mindset by waiting for my boyfriend to return to school for a break, and I can’t wait to see him. The week before is typically painfully dull, at least for me, it usually is. Instead of wishing that those seven days would go by as fast as possible, I tell myself to appreciate them because once they’re over, the break will start.
I have a running joke with my parents whenever I give advice and tend to steal some of their sayings to go along with it. Referring to the lesson, I heard that time will not wait for you, and I agree that time does not care about you – it is constantly progressing, and you are always in the rearview mirror. However, when it comes down to it, appreciating the mundane times can solve the problem of having time pass you by.
After the seven-day wait for my boyfriend to come home, as much as I try to appreciate them by the end of the break, I constantly think back. I wonder where all the time went. You can look back and say that even though those times were boring, you still appreciated life in the moment.
Remember to appreciate the dull days because those are the times you will look back on in three months and talk about how much you miss. While it is hard not to take advantage of the time that you have, these days can enhance your life. I am no expert, but sometimes, I look back and mourn the way things used to be. But if you look ahead, your path is your own. Make it something great instead of getting caught up in the past.