As usual, I'm reading multiple books. One of the books I'm currently reading is "The Power of Regret" by Daniel Pink.
He references what I call our human characteristic of being "overly optimistic" when he writes about a woman who imagines what her life would be like if she'd chosen a different graduate program focus than what she pursued. She imagines this beautiful life where she is "satisfied, fulfilled and accomplished."
Have you ever done this? Gone back to a decision and imagined how life might be like if you'd chosen something different? Probably! Most of us have at least once!
The thing is, we have no idea if that's the way it would have turned out, do we? What makes us so sure that future would have turned out the way we (likely) wish this one would have?
I also was falling asleep to Grey's Anatomy last night. A couple of characters are stuck in an elevator. They start freaking out. One of them(Dr. Bailey for my fellow fans) starts talking about [potentially] ridiculous solutions and miraculous endings. She says something like-if our brains can be used for bad, to make us scared and anxious, why can't they be used for good, to make us hopeful?
Which is likely why this quote spoke to me this morning...
What comes up for you? Do you catch yourself looking back or letting your brain create fear in your head? Are you able to stop it? When you imagine the goodness the future might hold, what does that look and feel like?