Okay, I may be dating myself here . . . but does anyone remember tapes?
Cassette tapes. Video tapes. Before these digital days, we’re currently living in tapes were THE way to record, keep and share all of your favorites. I had this one cassette tape I would play over and over. I can still hear the loud clicking sound of the buttons when I would rewind, sing along, stop abruptly and repeat as I memorized my favorite part of a song. Sometimes memories are like that.
I used to find myself replaying the figurative tapes of some past experiences . . . over and over. I’d hone in on one part of a relationship, or job role, or conversation with someone and replay it in my mind.
Stop. Rewind. Play. Repeat. Over analyzing. Regretting something I should have handled differently OR wishing I could relive something I did right.
Especially draining are the moments I’d replay that involved other people. Thoughts like “They should’ve said or done this”, almost always lead to a rabbit hole of shoulds and coulds that are rarely fruitful.
I realized that replaying those tapes kept me hostage, causing me to be unable to move forward.
It’s great to have memories, but when the loud rewind and stop buttons are clicking too often in your mind it becomes a distraction.
Being stuck on some past experience – good or bad – can keep you from being fully present in the moment.
The soundtrack of your life is playing now. When you’re fully available to it, you can create the tune as you see fit.
Decide what you want the rest of your life’s tape to include and resolve to make it your mixtape masterpiece. Learn the lessons from your old playlists, but don’t let them keep your intention or focus in the past.
And remember, you DO still have permission to occasionally dance to your favorite old jams; especially if you’re cleaning on the weekend.