"انسان‌ها از حافظه و تخیل خود رنج می‌برند؛ یعنی آن‌ها از چیزی که وجود ندارد رنج می‌برند"

Often, we get tangled up in the web of our own thoughts. We worry about things that happened in the past and get anxious about things that haven’t even happened yet. It's like we’re haunted by ghosts of our own making. This quote gets right to the heart of that – we create our own suffering by getting stuck in our memories or by fearing what might come next. The past and the future, in this sense, don’t exist in the present moment, yet we let them control our emotions and well-being.

Let’s dive into why this happens. Throughout history, humans have always been reflective creatures. Our ability to remember and imagine is what sets us apart from other species. It’s a double-edged sword, though. While it allows us to learn from our mistakes and plan for the future, it can also trap us in cycles of regret and worry. You might be familiar with the ancient philosopher Epictetus, who mused on how it’s not the events themselves that disturb us, but our interpretation of those events.

Picture this: You're lying in bed at night, replaying a mistake you made at work. You start imagining the possible consequences – maybe you’ll get fired, your career will be over, you’ll never recover. Your heart races, you can’t sleep. But in reality, nothing has happened yet. You’re suffering because you’re stuck in your own head. This is exactly what the quote is talking about.

So how can we use this insight to our advantage? One way is to practice mindfulness – staying present in the moment. It’s about learning to recognize when your thoughts are drifting towards the past or the future and gently bringing them back to the present. A simple practice is to focus on your breathing. When you notice your mind wandering, take a deep breath and bring your attention back to what’s right in front of you.

Imagine you’re at a coffee shop, chatting with a friend. You notice they seem distracted. They confess they’ve been worried sick about an upcoming presentation. They’re so caught up in what might go wrong that they can’t focus on anything else. You suggest taking a walk together. As you stroll, you encourage them to notice the things around them – the leaves rustling in the trees, the smell of fresh coffee. Slowly, you see them start to relax. They’re beginning to realize that in this moment, they’re okay.

This is the power of staying present. It doesn’t mean ignoring the past or not planning for the future. It means not letting those things control your present state of mind. Next time you find yourself spiraling into worry or regret, try to pause. Take a deep breath. Look around you. What do you see? What do you hear? Ground yourself in the present moment.

By practicing this, we can reduce the unnecessary suffering we create for ourselves. It’s not easy – our brains are wired to think and reflect. But with a bit of effort, we can learn to live more in the now and enjoy life as it unfolds, without the heavy burden of what’s already happened or what might happen next.