Time travel is a familiar concept in philosophy and science fiction. It is the concept of moving through different points in time, whether it be in the past or the future.
The thought of traveling through time can have us fantasize about how our life could be or could have been. Would we be happier if we could change the past or do we want to jet-propel ourselves into a happier future?
People spend time wishing they could change things. We would all like to control our destinies. Everything in our lives, including past pain and an uncertain future, are unsettling thoughts to wrestle with sometimes.
We are inclined to believe that if we could change the past or control the future, we would be happier.
People make statements like, “If I could only go back to the past and change what happened I’m sure I would be happy now,” or “If I could only get past all that is happening right now and wake up in a few years into the future, things will be so much better.” These statements are only flippant wishes that will never add more happiness to anyone’s life. They also distract us from doing what needs to be done to fix problems and make our lives happier.
In reality, we know that we cannot undo the past, nor fully control the future. So if you want to be happy, you have to take control of your ‘now’ and not waste time wishing you could fix the past or control the outcome of the future.
You Need to Start Being Happy Today
If you don’t start today, you won’t be happy later. Here are more reasons why living in the moment is your key to happiness.
You Will Feel Unhappy If You Stay Stuck In the Past
We can never enjoy life at its full richness and potential if we remain stuck in the past. We don’t need to forget our memories, we simply need to be more conscious of the present moment as today is where our happiness lies. It’s okay to look back once in a while, so long as it does not become a place where you brood and spend all your energy.
The more we yearn for what has now gone, the more dissatisfied we can feel. The past is gone and all that is left are our memories. Memories create a lot of emotional responses. When we recall memories from the past, we tend to make little changes to what really happened.
It may be intentional or unintentional, but a little bit gets added or things get left out. We taint the memory with our own feelings, emotions, and thoughts of what happened. Yearning for things that are now gone can make us feel unsatisfied, so forget the past and focus on today.
You Will Feel Unhappy If You Worry About the Future
Worrying about the future will cause you to feel unhappy. It’s impossible to be filled with joy and worry at the same time, they cannot co-exist. Where there is worry and fear, feelings of joy and happiness cannot thrive.
Worrying about what the future holds for you won’t give you any more control over what will happen. You need to take action, not worry, today if you want a better future. Worry is a waste of time and energy. Worrying will only steal your present moment and engulf you with negative feelings and anxiety. Let go of your worries to make space for happiness to surround you.
Final Thoughts
You need to let go of what’s gone and in the past. Your today is what is really happening in your life. Your only point of power is right now. You can’t fully engage with life in the present moment if you don’t place yourself there, both physically and emotionally!
The key to happiness doesn’t lie in any time machine, but within yourself. Your ability to see life as it is now and what you do with all of your time is what matters.
What we do with our time at present is what will completely determine our level of happiness in the future. Think about this… If your today is a happy one, and your tomorrow, and the next day, and the next… will that give you happy memories to look back on?
One day, these will be the ‘good old days’, if you make them so. Allow your ‘now’ to be what makes a happy past and future!
