Some experiences stay with us, waiting for the right moment to surface. Many months ago, I had a dream that I remember vividly.
In my dream, someone I knew was shot in front of me under bizarre circumstances. The shock was overwhelming, and my mind struggled to comprehend what had just happened. Amidst the chaos, a thought emerged:
“We die every single day and take birth every day.”
That thought felt engraved in me when I woke up.
Later that day, I attended a yoga session, and my guru said something that struck a deep chord. As we moved through an asana, he reminded us to breathe deeply:
“The old tissues will be discarded from the body, and new ones will form, so keep breathing deeply.”
It made me pause. How true this is—not just physically, but metaphorically. Every single day, cells in our body die, and new ones take their place. This cycle of death and rebirth happens constantly, yet we remain unaware of it.
Why Hold On to the Past?
His words stayed with me, triggering a flood of introspection.
Why do we mourn moments that are gone—those “dead” moments that will never return?
Why do we carry regret over what’s past, knowing it cannot be relived or rewritten?
The past is over. It’s done. It’s beyond our reach. And if we cannot travel back in time to fix our mistakes, does it serve us to regret them?
Then another realization dawned on me: Had I not made those mistakes, I wouldn’t have become the person I am today.
So, the question I needed to ask myself was not whether the past could be rectified but rather:
“Do I like the person I have become today?”
If the answer is yes, then I must have done something right.
If the answer is no, then a more important question arises:
“What can I do now to create a happier, more fulfilling life, so I can love the person I am becoming?”
The Power of the Present Moment
What lies ahead and what I am living right now is what truly matters.
The Now is in my hands.
In the Now, I have the power to create beautiful moments by staying aware and present.
In the Now, I can take steps toward becoming a version of myself that I truly love. A version of myself who, when looking in the mirror, can say with honesty and warmth:
“I love you.”
Learning to Love Ourselves
I once participated in a self-acceptance exercise where we had to stand in front of a mirror, look deeply into our own eyes, and say aloud, “I love you.”
I remember how difficult it was at first. I couldn’t even meet my own gaze. All I could see were flaws—the ways I could be better, do better.
But today, when I look into my eyes, I feel love. I can say “I love you” and mean it.
Does this mean I have no flaws? No.
It simply means I have learned to embrace myself. I have accepted my imperfections as part of who I am.
I have let go of allowing my past to define me. I have dropped the baggage I was carrying and opened my arms to the abundance of all that is yet to come.
And I invite you to do the same.
Do you love the person you see in the mirror?
If not, what can you do today—right now—to start creating a version of yourself that you love?
Let today be a new beginning. Let today be a rebirth.
Because every moment, we are given a chance to begin again.