“People say you can never look back. I like to look backwards, forward, and also live in the moment.” – James Swanwick
(click to tweet)
We constantly hear the phrase “you can never look back.” Whether in song, in advice, or any other form, it seems like people are opposed to the idea of “looking back,” or of nostalgically exploring your past, as if it will have some negative effect on your progress toward the future, will slow you down, or will make you try to go back to that time in your life.
In my opinion, there is a lot of positives that can come from looking back. In fact, I think that there are positives to looking backwards and forwards, and that this practice can, surprisingly, help you live more in the moment!
This may be a surprising idea to many. The advice of “never look back,” or “live in the future” is often given as a means of helping you live more in the moment. But I find clarity in where I’ve come by looking back, which helps me learn to always live in the moment and appreciate every second of every day.
Listen to this episode of the James Swanwick Show to learn what I think about living in the moment, why looking back, or times of nostalgia, can actually help you live in the moment, and why not every interaction needs to be about business. All that and more on this episode of the James Swanwick Show!
Key Takeaways
- People say you can’t look back, but there’s value in the enrichment of nostalgia, and what you can learn from it
- But never let your past define or limit you
- Looking back can give you clarity towards where you want to go in the future
- Thinking over your life, and what you’ve done, can fuel you toward the future, and even help you live more in the moment now
- As long as you can simultaneously live in the moment, letting your thoughts wander toward the past or future can enrich you
- Having goals but also being content in the moment is the sweet spot.
- Try to make decisions to hang out with people that you don’t have a clear vision of how it can help you. These interactions will enrich your life
“Having goals but also being content in the moment is the sweet spot.” – James Swanwick
(click to tweet)
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