Everyone is a time traveller. Travelling into the past to relive certain life events, or into the future to fantasise about how things may turn out, is a daily occurrence for almost all human beings.
Projecting your happiness onto a future point is a delusion because that point never comes, and constantly harping back to the past only generates bitterness. The past has gone; you cannot change it.
Time travelling in this way correlates directly to the degree of unhappiness a person experiences. You never reach that future utopia, because even if you achieve the goals you want to achieve, there will always be another set of goals that materialise before you have 'made it' and can be happy.
Happiness can only be achieved by living in, and accepting, the present moment as it is. You can make positive practical changes to your life situation, but being happy is the best way to create a better life.
An inability to accept the present moment as it is creates a gap between reality and what a person imagines reality should be like. The mind tries to close this gap by running mental movies, complete with their own internal dialogues, about what should be happening instead of what has happened or is happening.
This has led to the biggest addiction of modern times - compulsive thinking. Almost everyone does it; it is available 24-7. People don't know how to switch off. They think that if they relax for a second their whole life will come tumbling down, but don't realise that if they don't learn how to relax, then it definitely will. Unless you have regular time to recuperate, you can only run on the treadmill of life for so long before you become exhausted and burned out. If you cannot eat, sit down in peace for a few minutes, go for a drive or even walk a short distance without running mental movies or experiencing internal self-talk, then you are addicted to thinking, and are at risk of burning out.
Worrying about a myriad of things - including relationships, money, career, studies, family, health, appearance, ageing and uncertainty about what the future holds - robs a person of their health and vitality. Although people can cope with compulsive thinking for a period of time, there inevitably comes a tipping point where this starts to manifest as physical and mental health problems.
You can become addicted to worrying over things you have no control over; you can literally worry yourself sick. In certain countries, such as the USA and UK, one out of two people experience mental health problems at some point. Problems such as anxiety and depression are set to increase year by year, with the biggest rises being seen - worryingly - in children.
You can have peace and balance in a world of increasing complexity and chaos. The past has gone; to lament about what has happened is pointless, as no one can change it. No matter how many times you replay the past in your mind, the outcome is always the same. If you want a better, brighter future, you can only build it in this moment by accepting what is.
You can add years of quality life to your lifespan by taking some simple steps to redress the balance in your hectic life. There is now a substantial recognised body of evidence that supports a different approach to life. This book is based on that evidence and best practice. It will discuss ways that have been proven in studies to improve your well-being, reduce worries, anxiety and stress, and improve your sleep. With regular practice, the techniques and exercises described can enhance your relationships and your self-esteem, helping to bring about greater calmness, relaxation, productivity, health and self-awareness. Despite the fast pace of modern living, you can achieve balance, peace and happiness.
