Blog Post

Where is Your Future

Janet Paleo • September 18, 2019

Words matter. How we language things makes a huge difference on how it affects us and what it makes possible

If you were to ask most people, they would tell you that the past is behind them and they are facing the future. There is a small tribe that I heard of who says just the opposite. They say they can see their past so it is in front of them and the future can't be seen so it is behind them.

I thought this interesting but not much more until late one night I started to think about this. And it struck me. They are so right. 

If we work to forget our past, just put it behind us, we could be doomed to repeat it. That was an interesting thought. Then I thought, my past, the good, the bad, the ugly and the wonderful, sculpted me to be who I am. If I forget or reject that, is it not dishonoring myself? 

Then I thought about the future being behind me. How did this fit into my way of seeing life? I always work with folks to have them move towards their dreams and hopes. That is in front of them. Then the thought occurred, dreams are in the future, they are not the future. In fact, if you try to plan your dreams, you can miss excellent opportunities to carry your dream forward simply because it does not look like what you thought. If you use every moment to fulfill on your dream, the path can open in ways you never thought of. That is when the next thought landed. If we keep our future in front of us, we limit our dreams. By insisting future is in front, we narrow what is possible for our lives. 

Excited by this realization, and a new tool for people to use to live fulfilled lives, I realized I am so very grateful for the way my mind works and that I can share it with you.

I know language matters and I believe adjusting our thinking will open new doors and paths for us all.


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