MIDWEEK MESSAGE

I recently read that there are only two days we never have to worry about.  That is good news since most people spend most of their days worrying.  Imagine what it would be like if, for you to be happy, you only had to be worry-free for two days weekly.

So, what are the two days you do not have to worry about? The first one was yesterday. We spend so much time and mental energy regretting the past, thinking about what we could have done better, beating ourselves up for not doing it well, etc. Many of our emotional upsets are caused by thinking of the past—what we did or did not do, where we made errors, and living in shame and guilt.

However, the past is just that—the past. Unless we have a time machine, we cannot change it, undo what we have said or done, and certainly not control it. So what good does worrying about it do?

The other day is tomorrow.  We can make plans and have goals, but we have no immediate control over all the unknowns that determine our tomorrows. We know the sun will rise whether we can or can’t see it, but there are so many unknowns that worrying about tomorrow is useless and a waste of energy.

The only thing we can determine is today.  How we show up in our lives and the world today is something we can control.  That means if the sun should rise behind some clouds or rain, we do not have to let it determine how we see the day.  It also means that each day, we get to look at our life and ask, what can I do today to make it a great day?

Living in the present moment and changing how we perceive our ‘now’ is one of the most effective ways to lighten the burden of our past and pave the way for a brighter future.

Quote of the Week

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”Siddhārtha Gautama (Buddha), Dhammapada, Vers