do you live more in the past, present, or future?

[laelialudisia]

me, more in the future. i hardly ever think about people from the past or events of the past. my bf is constantly talking about things he did growing up and people he knew growing up, and i'm always thinking, "how the hell can you remember all of that?" he is so nostalgic about the past, and i always feel focused on what's around the corner. i'm like, "who cares about what happend yesterday, it's tomorrw we have to worry about!" :eek:

mental note: try to live more in the present :D

[spokes]

i'll have to skip voting because i would need a button that say present/past.......

[dengeist]

I'm more of a present/future guy. The past is fun when you get with your buddies and you say, "Remember VOLTRON!?"

Song quote: Are ya reelin' in the years....stowin' away the time?

People that talk about 6th grade/high school all the time kind of scare me.

Song quote: Time keeps on slippin'...into the future.

[shimmer728]

I tend to dwell on the past and/or the future too much. I need to learn how to enjoy the present more.

[wordsmith]

My past is very important to me. I don't identify with people who have no real ties to their past, have no particular memories of growing up or the people they came into contact with, etc. IMO, what's happened to us in the past is what's made us who we are. I remember pretty much everything, and I don't think it's creepy. Memoirists make shitloads of money by recollecting their pasts. I don't dwell in it, but I don't write it off, either.

I have to say I'm pretty lax about looking into the future...I don't find it very productive. My experience is that nothing in my life has really ever followed a pattern I would have predicted...so making really concrete plans for the future has never seemed to have much point, because everything up and changes, anyway. For me, the unexpected IS the norm. I'm always surprised by where I end up, and the things that happen to me. I like it that way. But I don't plan much, outside the most general sort of planning. I just kind of ride it out and take it as it comes. I've never been somebody with goals on a timeline, at all. Stuff will happen when it happens. "We'll see" is kind of my motto.

[Winter Storm]

Right now I have to say the present.

For one, I look at my father who in his last years had a lot of regrets about how he spent his life and I don't think he got to do most of what he wanted to. I don't want to look back at my life at 60 and feel like I didn't really live at my fullest in my youth.

Normally, I'd live for the future, but for the past 10 years, I planned and planned and scrimped and saved and things had a way of just not working out like I had hoped. I don't regret that but I see how putting things off, made me miss out on a lot of good times in my earlier 20's. I feel like this is my time right now, to be a little bit selfish and do what I've always wanted. This will change, but I need to get some things out of my system. I feel like life is really short and before you know it, it is the future. I just want to look back and reflect on all I've accomplished and the good times I had.

Besides, tomorrow isn't guaranteed to any of us.

[Cole]

I used to live in the past a LOT to the extent that it was hard for me to get over/let go of things. I think I still have strong ties to my past - I keep a lot of friends from way back when and really like pictures and doing the whole "remember when..." bit, but I don't dwell in it anymore. And I've gotten really good at forgiving and forgetting, and dealing with things as they are now. (which is probably why I've managed to keep so many friends from way back when)

I don't really worry about the future. Once I graduated from college it was sort of like "oh, I don't have anything planned anymore." and I know how much my life can change in a year, so I don't figure anything is set in stone until it's actually happening.

So I'd say I live in the present pretty well at this point. I'm happy to be able to say that.

[Tiean]

At the moment I'm focussing very much on the future. Lately I've become so insecure about what I actually want to do. A master's degree, a different bachelor, or trying to find a job and see if what I 'can' do with my current qualifications and see if I like what I might end up doing...

When I'm not at a crossroads, I live in the present. Not in the sense that I just let loose and do whatever comes to mind and forget about consequences, but more that I'm not worried about what's going to happen in the near future...

[coll214]

As solely an act of odd rebellion, I hate looking at the future. You never know what could happen, so it's a moot point to always be planning for it, at least for me. And my father especially is kind of obsessed w/ it. I'll let him worry about it then.

I'd definitely say i'm more of a present person now, but yes look at the past too. You have to. Your past is why you are who you are today, good or bad. But I agree w/ WS, this is MY time now, to do what I want.

[Winter Storm]

As solely an act of odd rebellion, I hate looking at the future. You never know what could happen, so it's a moot point to always be planning for it, at least for me. And my father especially is kind of obsessed w/ it. I'll let him worry about it then.

I'd definitely say i'm more of a present person now, but yes look at the past too. You have to. Your past is why you are who you are today, good or bad. But I agree w/ WS, this is MY time now, to do what I want.

Yeah, I do feel like I'm going through a rebellious 'me' stage. I feel like I spent so much time in the past, devoting myself to become somebody else's wife and partner, doing the right thing and staying on the safe, straight side and look where it got me!

It's probably just a stage, but I need this time to just wile out.

[biodork]

I don't know, I think I'm all over the place right now.

[mijois]

I definitely live in the past! It is something I struggle with everyday. When I was in school/college... I lived in the present/future because I knew what I did in the present would affect my future/graduation/getting a job/career. Now, that I have graduated from college... the present.. well it's the same everyday... get up and go to work... so I live in the past... remembering the good times/the bad times... what I should have done differently, what I should have enjoyed more... yes, I have a problem but it seems like there's nothing to look forward to in the future besides "hard work"... I can't just enjoy things for the hell of it anymore... I have to go to work everyday so I can keep a roof over my head and have food to eat... you know... you can't just say... I'm going to take a few months off and chill... and you get no breaks... at least in school/college you had 3 months to chill... now you get a week or two... which is never enough... yes, I'm just a hamster running around in a wheel... remembering the past. If there was a time machine... I would be the first one in line!

[dazed]

I tend to dwell on the past and/or the future too much. I need to learn how to enjoy the present more.

Exactly. extraletters

[lawya girl]

I definitely live in the past! It is something I struggle with everyday. When I was in school/college... I lived in the present/future because I knew what I did in the present would affect my future/graduation/getting a job/career. Now, that I have graduated from college... the present.. well it's the same everyday... get up and go to work... so I live in the past... remembering the good times/the bad times... what I should have done differently, what I should have enjoyed more... yes, I have a problem but it seems like there's nothing to look forward to in the future besides "hard work"... I can't just enjoy things for the hell of it anymore... I have to go to work everyday so I can keep a roof over my head and have food to eat... you know... you can't just say... I'm going to take a few months off and chill... and you get no breaks... at least in school/college you had 3 months to chill... now you get a week or two... which is never enough... yes, I'm just a hamster running around in a wheel... remembering the past. If there was a time machine... I would be the first one in line!

I feel very much this way. :(

[Brillo25]

I used to live exclusively in the past and future but I think I've gotten so much better at living in the present. I don't dwell on the past and missed opportunities so much anymore, and I'm less worried about the future. I think for me it's just been a matter of getting older and gaining more perspective.

[lawya girl]

I used to live exclusively in the past and future but I think I've gotten so much better at living in the present. I don't dwell on the past and missed opportunities so much anymore, and I'm less worried about the future. I think for me it's just been a matter of getting older and gaining more perspective.

How old does one have to get? I'm already almost 28. :p

[Brillo25]

How old does one have to get? I'm already almost 28. :p
I was much more of a mess at 28 than I am now at 30. You never know how your life circumstances will change. I hated everything about where I was at when I was 28, so all I thought about was the past and future. Nowadays my job is better, my finances are better, and above all my social life is better so I'm just really enjoying all that at the moment and not thinking too much about the things were or worrying about how they're going to be. So actually, now that I think about it it's more about circumstances than it is about getting older. I'd probably still be more of a mess if I didn't make some new friends and get out of my last job situation. That's not to say I'm completely well now or anything. Just much better.

That's why when people ask me the obiligatory question about how it feels to turn 30, I honestly say it feels great because 27-29 really sucked because of where I felt like I was at in life, and I feel much happier more envigorated now.

[lawya girl]

I was much more of a mess at 28 than I am now at 30. You never know how your life circumstances will change. I hated everything about where I was at when I was 28, so all I thought about was the past and future. Nowadays my job is better, my finances are better, and above all my social life is better so I'm just really enjoying all that at the moment and not thinking too much about the things were or worrying about how they're going to be. So actually, now that I think about it it's more about circumstances than it is about getting older. I'd probably still be more of a mess if I didn't make some new friends and get out of my last job situation. That's not to say I'm completely well now or anything. Just much better.

That's why when people ask me the obiligatory question about how it feels to turn 30, I honestly say it feels great because 27-29 really sucked because of where I felt like I was at in life, and I feel much happier more envigorated now.

Perhaps all is not lost....

[mishl982]

I dwell in the past, but I live in the present. I find it easy to look back at the past because it's easy for me to think about good or bad memories, lessons learned, random fun stores, etc. I like to think about the future, but it's hard for me to imagine what it would be like because it always changes for me. I like to say that I live in the present, like living in the moment and try not to care what's happened or what's to come, but I definitely dwell a lot in the past.

[Raquel]

I live in the present...When I think about the past I just get too depressed because it sucked and the future scares me so I just live in the present. I've been through too much and like someone said previously we're not gauranteed tomorrow. If I live through what is going on now I'm enjoying every moment of it. Time and life goes by so fast. My parents are in their mid to late 40's and I remember when they were in their twenties.

[shadeofgreen]

During my first year out of college I definitely lived in the past. I was frustrated and lonely and wanted to go back to living with all my friends and going out all the time. Then I started to dwell on what I should have done differently. Double majoring, mainly, so that I could have had better job prospects AND spent an extra year in school.

There was a time probably about a year ago where I was living in the present mostly because I had sort of given up on having any goals. I was living life day to day because things were okay and I guess I was tired of getting myself worked up about life.

Now I live too much in the future. I don't miss college much anymore. But I have this terrible tendency to think in terms of, "As soon as I ____, then I'll be able to ____." Like, "As soon as I finish this second-shift temp job, I'll be able to take some evening classes." I know it's a bad way of thinking, but I'm having trouble changing it.

[Roy Hobbs]

I dwell on the past like you wouldn't believe. I've always been a very nostalgic person. Every movie, song, or particular place carries with it a host of memories that come rushing in every time I experience them. I find myself constantly sharing memories with my friends along with a longing for the old days.

Not that college students are innocent by any means, but I feel like life nowadays has completely lost the "innocence" and carefree qualities that it used to have. Life now consists of working all day, going home, watching tv, and falling asleep. The weekends are a short escape, with alcohol aiding in forgetting about life for awhile. It's not extremely easy to meet young, fun, people with whom you have stuff in common with. Connecting with people is much more important to me than having a life plan, money, or my career.

Maybe I'm just being a baby, and maybe I just can't accept growing up, although I know that time must come. I grow very sad because the tighter I grip to my past, the faster it seems to slip away. Memories fade, and people fade, until they're not there anymore. It's somewhat of a catch-22 in that I realize that in order to move on I need to let go of the past, but the past is what I so desperately wish for.

It sucks to grow up.

[wordsmith]

I like your name, Roy Hobbs. :)

[ledzeppelinfan1]

The future is no place to place your better days--Dave Matthews

I used to live in the past, but as of a few days ago I'm all about the future and where I'm going. Which makes today and tomorrow all the more important. I think to have a healthy outlook you need to have a combination of all three.

1. Learning from your past.
2. Looking towards your future.
3. Taking action today.

They all go hand in hand.