I recently attended a mindfulness workshop where the facilitator was explaining the principles of mindfulness when he said something that woke me up. “The past is a memory; the future is a vision. All there is, is the present.”
As a memoirist, I tend to live in the past. This is what I write about, and have written about, for at least the last decade. When I write about my past, I immediately live it. I don’t relive it; I live it, like it was happening all over again. Believe me, if it were possible to relive it, I’d revise it extensively!
He was right; the past is simply a memory, but how often do we continue to live in the past? How often do we become so entrenched in what happened way back when, that we fail to focus on what is happening now?
“When your past calls, don’t answer. It has nothing new to say.”
This quote just popped up on my Facebook page (coincidence?). Sometimes our past keeps calling, and we keep answering, even though we know what it’s going to say. There aren’t many rules of life, but one rule I’ve learned the hard way is that we can’t change the past. We all know this. So why do we spend so much time there?
As mindful writers, we often mine our past for stories. Sometimes these stories dredge up painful memories, and we embody these memories in every cell of our being. If you have a painful memory that keeps popping up, causing you discomfort or despair, consider re-writing it.
First, write down the memory as you remember it, then, on a new page, write it down the way you wish it would have happened. As you write, envision how all of the people involved, including yourself, could act differently to create a different outcome. If someone is physically harming you, create a large protective wall that keeps you safe. If a situation didn’t go the way you wanted, re-write it as you wanted it. Re-imagine events in a way that brings you joy. Write it down.
You’ve created a new story. Check in with your body. How do you feel?
Mindful Writing 