Was the Past Really Better than the Present?

Do you think that your life in the past was better than the present?

Do you miss the “good old days?”

Quite often people, not just old people, but people of all ages, yearn to the past, believing it was a better time. They think and feel that their childhood, adolescence, and the time they were young was a great time.

A great number of people think and believe that everything was better in the past than it is now.

This sometimes might be true, but not always. If you analyze these thoughts and feelings objectively, you might discover that your earlier years were not as great as you imagined.

I have a certain theory about this, which I would like to share with you.

Why People Believe the Past Was a Better Time

People do not yearn to the actual past, to the circumstances and situations they lived through, which sometimes were good, and sometimes not so good. They yearn for something else.

People yearn for the period when they were quite young, when they didn’t worry about money, work, and possessions.

They yearn for the times when they had no worries and problems when grown-up people took care of everything.

This past was a carefree period, and this is what they are missing now.

There is another thing they yearn for, albeit unconsciously. Most people, from the age of about 16 to about 30, have dreams, expectations, zest, and energy. They are still young, and the future is before them.

At this age, often, there is a certain feeling of euphoria and great expectations.

This is the time when people are at the start of their life. They are still able to think big. It is before settling down, getting a job, getting married, and getting lost in the hustle and bustle of life.

When young, people use their imagination and daydream about a fabulous future, but as time rolls by, they forget their dreams and don’t use their imagination as before.

When you think about the past, the feelings of joy, happiness and expectation related to it awaken, and you feel good. Then, you associate those feelings with the past, and get the impression that the past was a better time.

Actually, what you are yearning to is to the feelings of euphoria that you experienced when young, to the dreams and expectations, which are gone now.

Motivate Yourself with Your Past Feelings and Expectations

My advice is to awaken those feelings and thoughts intentionally, and to associate them with the present, even if your circumstances are far from your expectations.

No matter how old or young you are, where you live, and under what circumstances you are living, you can use these thoughts and feelings to motivate you.

You can use these past memories to give your self a boost of energy, ambition, and the desire to progress in life.

You can bring back the euphoria and great expectations of a great life that you experienced when you were young.

Then, allow them to push you forward, to improve your life. You can use these feelings to strengthen your motivation and ambition, and for improving your life.

Find the good in your past, and use it to build a better future.

“The past is a stepping stone, not a millstone.”
– Robert Plant

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– Buddha