“Depression comes from reliving the past daily, anxiety is worrying about the future. Happiness is being grateful for today.”
We’ve all heard the advice: Live in the moment. Be here now. The past is gone, and the future is uncertain.
On the surface, it sounds noble—liberating, even. But when taken literally and applied exclusively, this mindset can become one of the most misleading mantras in personal development.
Let me explain.
The Present Is a Tool—Not the Goal
I believe in taking action today. Fully.
Today is the only day I can do something. I can’t rewrite yesterday. I can’t skip ahead to tomorrow. The only arena where I can make a move is right here, right now.
But to suggest that the past and future are irrelevant? That’s a fallacy.
The Past Isn’t a Prison—It’s a Library
My past is filled with hard lessons, breakthroughs, and scars that taught me who I am and what I’m capable of.
I’ve failed. I’ve succeeded. I’ve hurt people. I’ve healed. All of those moments matter. They don’t shackle me—but they inform me. If I don’t harness those experiences, I’m doomed to repeat the same cycles.
Ignoring the past under the guise of “living in the present” is like closing the book on wisdom I’ve already earned.
The Future Isn’t a Fantasy—It’s a Direction
Equally dangerous is the dismissal of the future. Dreaming, planning, and envisioning a better version of yourself, your business, or your family isn’t naïve—it’s essential.
Without vision, the present becomes reactive. Survival mode.
But when I dare to picture something larger than today, my actions take on purpose. I’m no longer just busy—I’m building.
Today Is Sacred Because It Connects the Two
That’s why I believe in this:
Use your past as a compass.
Let your future be your fuel.
Then go to war with the day in front of you.
The present isn’t the point.
It’s the bridge between who you were and who you’re becoming.
So no—I don’t buy into the simplistic version of “just live in the present.”
Because I want my past to mean something.
And I want my future to be different.
That starts by showing up fully today—with context, intention.
Klark
Klark