Always Looking in the Rearview Mirror

"One problem with gazing to frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us." -Michael Cibenko

When you live your life looking through the rear view mirror you can't see what's coming at you. You keep looking behind you, where you were and how you were living and you totally miss the big picture.

None of us can live in the past but some of us are hell bent on trying to. Recently I have been receiving a lot of emails from people talking about how difficult it is to forget about the past and move on with their lives.

When your focus is on the past and what happened or what didn't happen, how do you expect to see your way to the future? Keeping yourself stuck in the past is a choice. You either pick up the pieces and move on or you stay living in the twilight zone.

Going over the past is fine but it's when you live there that you don't have a chance of having a future. I know it's easy to say and harder to do, but what is easy about living in a ghost town? Just because it may not be easy, doesn't mean it can't be done.

Now here's the deal. First you have to choose to move on. Choose where you want to live. Either backwards or forward?

Next, each time you catch yourself looking in the rear view mirror you have to stop yourself and look forward or your life is going to be a wreck.

Then you have to talk to yourself and let yourself know that you are moving forward and letting go. You have to remind yourself that there isn't anything you can do now to change what happened but you can begin to create a new future.

You can drive yourself to a new destination, even though it may be unknown, it will be a better place than the dead zone.

Living your life always looking in the past is weighing on your spirit. You miss so much of what is possible because you won't give yourself a chance. You have to free yourself from the chains of the past and allow yourself a chance to breathe again.

I know you may miss what was or what could've been but relish the good memories, throw out the bad and start today to live a new way.

The past is what makes us who we are today. It makes up stronger, builds character and allows us to know who we are and what we want from life. The past is your history, learn the lessons, be thankful for the good times and bad because now you know what is important to you.

We can never go back and relive the past. We can never bring someone back that isn't there anymore, but we can start to live in a place that brings us peace knowing that we did the best we could do at the time and we are simply living the life experience, one day at a time, one experience at a time and one step at a time.

Begin each day with a time of quiet where you can reflect and be thankful for what was and be grateful for what will be. Just because the past is gone doesn't mean that you don't have a life anymore. It simply means that your life has changed.

Remember nothing is permanent in life but change. It is when you resist change that you suffer.

Looking in the rear view mirror is resisting the future. What can you possibly do now that will change the past? Then why keep trying? It's useless and you expend energy that would be better put to use making a place in the future.

Be at peace today knowing that it is all a part of the big picture but if you live in the past you will never get to see what you are missing today.

Keep yourself focused on what is good, look at each day as a new opportunity to move closer to realizing there is a better life ahead of you and leave the past behind you.

I truly wish that you can leave the darkness of what keeps you stuck and see the light at the end of the tunnel ahead.


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Do you want to live a better life or do you just want to talk about it? Susan Russo is an author whose direct approach is a wake-up call for those who are sleep walking through life. Find out how to wake up each day and enjoy your life!