By Mbalenhle Ndaba

Is there a future in blaming your past for your present? You are now aware of the past and its experiences, it is time for you not to ignore the past so you cannot repeat it, and it is time to incorporate push with stillness.

By the time we reach age four, some experts say our past (the whole four years of our past) will largely determine how we live out the rest of our lives. The formative years they call them, and it would be wise to note it is modern psychology that leans on this position. Although there’s some truth in this notion, it is far from law and shouldn’t be held as such. Nor should any other indicator that our past will determine our future for many adults who are not content with their lives, most current excuses are used or overused, and the only workable one left is that the past is the reason why the present and future can’t be all they intended to be. Biological inheritance maybe a reality in this subject, but it doesn’t have to be a destiny.

The weight of “whatever once was” has conveniently became the back door to avoid bold moves in life, and we give power to something that no longer exists. Life gets put on hold, and as a result we end up living in the grave of our past, a dead zone where the only possibility that exists to get us out of it go and leave it behind.

To live in the fullness of what life has for us is not a fear-free, risk-free zone. It appears safer at times to use the past as an excuse to avoid uncharted new territory because we lose the certainty to look good, feel good, be right, and be in control - all illusions, all insufficient for any lasting gratification. If we want to maximize our life, it will be the best if we ran the race to win, despite our past. I doubt that many victories would be had if we looked in life’s rear view mirror throughout the race.

Mbalenhle Ndaba is a freelance creative, storyteller, self-taught writer, entrepreneur, and human rights activist. Her writing is called expressive writing. It is a brief writing technique that has helped her deal with emotional upheavals. It is like self-help therapy without outlandish claims. It is all about taking risks and moving beyond secure comfort zones. Reading her articles can be a cathartic way to work through emotions like loneliness, confronting your fears and being mindful of what one is currently happy about, as well as what is wished for the future. Mbalenhle’s articles aim to inspire, to stimulate the reader to think, or provoke a plan of action. The titles aim to charm, amuse, intrigue, or buttonhole the reader in some way through shared experiences. Mbalenhle is also the Founder of House Minder 4U, a cleaning service. Its name is derived from the unity of keeping spaces homely and clean. A woman owned company with the aspiration to satisfy commercial and residential sectors, the company is optimistically thriving.
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