It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.
Does anyone love scrolling through their past?
I do.
I can spend hours poring over my old photos and videos – I scroll through my past Instagram Stories, re-binge my favourite dramas I watched at least 5x, re-read my favourite Harry Potter series, then hop onto YouTube to watch my old Reels.
There’s a certain comfort in reliving those moments, a type of nostalgia that simply sucks you into the digital archives of your past life.
The allure of yesteryear
It’s easy to romanticise the past.
Our brains have a funny way of editing out the mundane, the difficult, and the downright unpleasant, leaving us with a highlight reel of our fondest memories.
I distinctly remember the joyous childhood birthday celebrations, exam triumphs, sun-drenched vacations, and fun working moments with colleagues.
But upon reflecting deeper, I also glossed over the quarrels with my parents during the angsty teenage years, the daily grind of 12 hours of studying in the community centre’s dingy study room, the frantic planning and disagreements with travel partners, and the fitful nights and constant sore throats from stress back when I had a full-time job.
Look forward, not backward
Another funny thing that happened that gave me inspiration for this post – I received a job offer that asked me to start in August.
Suddenly, I panicked.
All those hours I spent reliving the “good old days” suddenly felt like wasted time. Here I was, presented with a new opportunity, a new chapter, and my first instinct was to shrink back into the familiar comfort of what was, rather than embrace what could be.
It was a wake-up call. While cherishing memories is beautiful, constantly looking back and getting lost in them means missing out on the beauty of the present and the excitement of what’s to come.
The future is an unknown, which can be daunting.
But it’s also a blank canvas.
I like to think of my life as different seasons. Each life season I’m in, while it should absolutely be enjoyed, is also quietly preparing me for the next one. I gain skills, learn lessons, and gather experiences that I could only get by living through my current season.
The trick is knowing when to move to the next season. At some point, you’ve got to turn the next page into the next chapter. In fact, I should turn the page before I feel completely ready. Because if I waited until I’m perfectly prepared to move on, I’m probably already a little behind.
As my favourite finance writer Morgan Housel once said, “The past wasn’t as good as you remember. The present isn’t as bad as you think. The future will be better than you anticipate.”
Best,
Val