Smart Quote of the Day 12/30/2024

“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly live.” ― Dalai Lama

 I’m sticking with the wisdom of the great Dalai Lama for a second week because his words have special relevance and meaning for me for the coming year. This quote can also be summed up with the title of the 1971 book by American Yogi Ram Dass, Be Here Now.

The philosophy is simple. We cannot relive yesterday. Yesterday is done; its thoughts, words, and deeds have been recorded on whatever you believe in. The Akashic Records, The Book of Life, God’s Book of Remembrance, the Karmic Record – there are many to choose from, depending on your belief system. The important thing is that yesterday is done and cannot be undone. Let it go. 

 Tomorrow has the same but slightly different issue. It is a major source of anxiety for most people, also known as anticipatory anxiety. Essentially, we worry that something in our future might be painful and we cannot control it. The truth of the matter is that, hell yes, something in our future will be painful–that is part of life.

If you have a problem with worry over future events, try to be proactive and use today–the only day you can do something about them–to prepare for the painful event. Ideally, use today to do what you can to minimize the effects of the future event. Do what you can today to deal with it and then let it go. If there's nothing to be done–especially if there's nothing to be done–let it go. Don't let what might happen tomorrow ruin today.

The other side of the future coin is positively anticipating the future. Dreaming, creating vision boards, planning a positive event–these actions release dopamine in our brains and make us feel good. Focusing on what we want, anticipating getting what we want, brings us pleasure and happiness. There is a network of neural connections in our brain known as the Reward Pathway that drives our actions and decisions. (You can read more about this pathway here)

This quote struck me because I try to focus on what I can do today. I've been pretty firm on yesterday is gone and tomorrow never arrives. Focus on what we can experience today, because today is all we ever have.

BUT, and this is a big BUT, positive anticipation of our future is important to our survival. There is more for me to unpack here, more I need to think about regarding how I deal with tomorrow. Because only living in the moment might not be enough.

And that's what I love about doing these quotes. They make me think.