People have varying sets of imagination when it comes to thinking about the past, present or future. Some are preoccupied with the future, and some stuck in the past. Both tend to forget to live in the present or, say, live for the moment. Thinking is a process where an individual cannot control the flow of thoughts, which in a way makes them keener to get the outcomes. Thinking about the past can be of two types – introspection and rumination.
Introspection – Curiosity and Self-exploration Introspection is based on judging all the negative and positive aspects of life and what all has happened to you in the past or what you are dealing with in present. Introspection about the past can only lead you to either being happy with the things that happened or taking out conclusions about a particular situation or people. Introspection can lead you to learn about yourself a bit more, as it helps you to figure out how things went and what all could have happened or done properly. People eventually end up thinking about the past because they expected the outcomes in a different or better way. Introspecting about anything – if it is coined on an individual – gives them more closure and a better understanding of the topic. Letting go of what was never in hand can be the easy way out when it comes to introspecting about the past, which in a way may help in the healing process. Rumination – Regrets Regrets are the main reason why an individual goes through the thought process about the past, which are very natural, as it comes along with human nature. An individual when fully attached to a person or thought of the past may go through flashbacks of past life. The question, which arises in mind, is what if that situation could have been approached in a better way. The more the person lets the situation overpower, the more harm it causes. Thinking is a free process that does not harm anyone until and unless an individual keeps thinking about the past and fails to move forward in life. Thinking is a flow of thoughts and one should not hold on to the process, instead feel it and let it flow. If you continue living in the past, it may lead to serious psychological troubles, which eventually would harm your mental peace and make you cynical about your current life. How can you Stop Overanalyzing the Past? If overanalyzing the past events or thoughts is preventing you from enjoying your present life to the fullest, you need to put your mind to something productive. Though it would seem difficult in the beginning, practising that once or twice may eventually be beneficial. Not creating scenarios in the head and not wanting any outcomes, in particular, would help an individual to get out of the situation. Doing what makes you happy or gets you pure joy would be a great escape from thinking about the past. Reading, listening to music and venturing into the wild can help you cope up with ghosting thoughts from the past. Having a determination for change, not settling for anything less than what you deserve, not stressing about the future (either) and just living in the present would help you obtain a better version of yourself.
