Monday, June 16, 2008

Looking Behind Us=Going Forward


"Looking at something behind us means we are moving forward. Otherwise everything would be facing us or beside us. Looking behind us=going forward". By Jeff Johnson---March 2008

Do you ever find yourself looking at the past like I do? Studying old behaviors, past sins, and wishing I had a 'do-over' on a particular scene in life--realizing all to well it is now history. Looking backwards is not a bad thing. We should learn from our mistakes, but most importantly we should learn from what we have done right--equally. Many times it is the awkward or the wrong things that stick out and we wish we could correct, but how much time do we examine the 'right' things we do? If we spend more time looking at the 'right things' praising ourselves for a job well done our 'wish-we-had-a-do-over' scenes would have less impact. Those scenes that need adjustment would be small in number in our recent memory history compared to the large number of 'right' things we accomplish. The impact would be less because the more positive things we do would be on the top of our memory list. By review of our past positive events equally, we develop a strength to face the 'do over' events with a more positive attitude. This is a learned behavior developed through practice.

I find myself now looking at the more forward pictures in my life. The behind me scenes still exist as part of what my forward trip should not be like--at times. However, my behind me scenes were not all bad. I have some very positive scenes there too. Sometimes I must focus on both the positive and negative behind me scenes to grow and to improve my present forward journey. I must admit, it is nice to know I am moving forward knowing that what is behind me is really behind me, stopped in time, and what is in front of me is endless. The scenes in life
categorized as,"I wish I had a do over there," now form the building blocks to strengths that allow us to grow knowing it is stopped in time forever. We can choose to repeat them or avoid them in another time.

Look forward at the endless opportunities but spend some time looking backward knowing that what is behind me allows my forward journey to be filled with realizations that I have grown. I am a forward stepper.

I believe in you because YOU ARE WORTH IT,
Jeff

4 comments:

brad johnson said...

I loved and was so helped by your comment to value what we have done 'right' in our past. I must change my focus. Your words helped. Keep writing. keep spreading the word that you're online.

Julie Hibbard said...

I remember someone telling me once that navigating through life was kinda like driving a car-
The rear view mirror is very small and you can't look back too long or you'll miss what's in front of you. You just need to glance back once in a while, and remember what is now behind.
But the windshield is BIG and broad and you GET to spend most of your time looking through it...it's much larger so you can see ALL the great stuff in front of you.
Keep up the GREAT work, Jeff. I'm sure it won't be long before you have quite the blogging following!

Anonymous said...

I like the thought ...Looking behind us and learning from what we've gone through ... would truly benefit as we move forward. I truly enjoy reading your blogs. Thanks for reminding " I am worth it "

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work.