We have the tendency to think that where we are at right now is where we will be for the rest of our lives. But we are never permanently stuck. Sure, today may be a puzzle for us.
- The future is unknown
- It may have always been this way
- The trend points to the current outcome
- There is no obvious solution
We can feel like a skier that is stuck in a snowbank.
Discouragement can make us feel like giving up. We feel panic or a feeling of panic or despair well up within us.
However, in most situations, we have choices. We can have hope. The problem that has us stuck may or may not miraculously go away. Regardless, there is a solution.
- Replace panic with calm
- Replace resignation with hope
- Start to see a vision of what it will look like to be freed from this situation
- Get help. Don’t let pride keep you from the solution
Past, Present and Future
This article from Inc. Magazine is a good reminder that if we keep replaying what has happened in the past, it can keep us from moving forward in the present. Our past doesn’t necessarily affect our future. Sure, it has made us who we are today. We may have lessons that are valuable for us today.
However, if past experiences freeze us from moving forward today, then we have learned the wrong lessons. Our yesterday is gone. We can use the past to make us better, or we can allow it to cloud our future and make us bitter. There is hope for the future when we allow ourselves to move on.
No one really knows the future. It is better to see future hope than to continue with a gloomy forecast. If you’re stuck in that snowbank, hold on! Help is coming! You are never permanently stuck!
Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog on October 6, 2015. I revamped and updated it for timeliness and comprehensiveness.
