#227 Could a changed past set me free?

ByLukas
|

Which conclusions did I draw from past experiences?

Have I overreacted to petty events, and ignored beautiful moments?

Have I deleted memories? Maybe invented some?

Have I built stories based on generalizations?

Most importantly: how does the past I still feel affect my actions today?

And if I know a lot of it was my own interpretation… could I change my past, or at least what it means to me?

Would that set me free?

I was undoubtedly in a pensive mood when writing this.

I guess, given the daily letters I send you, you might conclude I’m in a pensive mood every day.

And you wouldn’t be wrong.

But pensive moods can be useful – when they’re coupled with conclusions and insights. Maybe even with Tiny Trust Builders.

And if any of these questions help you re-interpret your past and set you free, too, I’ll be a happy man.

A wistful win-win.

Similar Posts

  • #456 Slow and steady, one day at a time

    ByLukas

    All bad things happen all at once, and you keep going.

    Slow and steady, one day at a time.

    Nothing happens, and you keep going.

    Slow and steady, one day at a time.

    All good things happen all at once, and you keep going.

    Slow and steady, one day at a time.

    All the good things can’t happen if you don’t keep going when the bad things happen, and if you don’t keep going when nothing happens.

    Slow and steady.

    One day at a time.

  • |

    #260 Dancing circles around your gut

    ByLukas

    You’ll write the book until you start doubting if you have it in you to write it… then realize that the only way to find out is by actually writing the book.

    You’ll prepare for the marathon until you start doubting if you can finish it… then realize that the only way to find out is by actually running the marathon.

    You’ll build the business until you start doubting if this is a viable idea… then realize that the only way to find out is by actually building the business.

    No matter how much you dance circles, ignoring what your gut has been telling you, deep down, you know: this is where you should’ve gone all along.

  • |

    #21 Action Defies Excuses (day 20 update)

    ByLukas

    Day 20 of my daily publishing experiment. What I’ve learned (or remembered) so far:

    • Self-trust is built by taking action. On some days I woke up stressed out, thinking “I have no clue what I’ll post about today”. But then I start writing, and the post reveals itself on the page every single time. After experiencing that several times, the fear of posting (or not being able to write anything) is fading away. In other words: action defies excuses.
    • Starting to journal (Morning Pages) over 600 days ago led to an explosion in creativity. Starting to publish a daily insight is giving me a similar boost.
    • In the past, I leaned towards bigger, longer writing projects that required a lot of energy and thinking before I produced something “valuable”. I now see there’s power in consistently writing short posts about ideas and insights, no matter how insignificant and no matter how imperfect the writing. Because through the writing, I understand them better. I remember them better. And I’m confident that over time, from all these small insights, bigger ideas will emerge.

    In short, a pattern I’ve observed many time in the past years is playing out again:

    When I start defying my own excuses by taking action, no matter how small, my self-trust grows, my self-image shifts, and I become more of the person I want to be.

    Which begs the question:

    Where else am I frustrated, holding on to a static identity of the past that I could prove wrong by taking action?

  • | | |

    #77 Do, Then Believe

    ByLukas

    I couldn’t imagine finding time for 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness journaling a day – until I started writing them. 700 days later, I haven’t missed a day.

    I couldn’t imagine finding time or energy to publish a daily blog post – until I started publishing them. 70 days later, I haven’t missed a day.

    I couldn’t imagine finding time or willpower for 5 yoga sessions a week – until I started doing them. 2 years later, I can’t imagine not doing them anymore.

    Sometimes it’s hard to see how you could have time or energy for something before you just start doing it. Then it becomes the new normal.

    It’s your mind playing tricks on you.

    Start doing (and start small). Keep doing. Then start believing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *