Those Were The Best Years Of My Life

by Robb Sutton

I hear people make wild comments all the time that I do not agree with. This one in particular, really bugs me down to the core because the individuals that actually subscribe to this idea are happy to be able to let these words enter their cranium and release out of their mouth via new found jubilation. Have you ever heard someone say one of the following lines out loud?

  • Those were the best years of my life.
  • I would give anything to go back to that time in my life.
  • Remember back in (fill in the blank)? It doesn’t get any better than that.

What is this person doing? Are they actually saying that they believe that some past time period in their lives was the best time of their life and that can not be topped? There is a fatal flaw in this way of thinking that will keep the person in question dreaming of past times instead of the future.

If it really can not get any better than dating the head cheerleader when you were on the football team in high school, that means at the prime age of 42…your life will never be any better than that moment. For me…that is sad…and I do not want to live with that misguided thought process.

I Want Every Year To Be Better Than The Last

In my life, my worst fear is that there is no room for improvement. If we are constantly looking back in time to find the best years in our lives, then we are becoming complacent in the future. There are certain people in this world that consistently live in the past. Everything in their being and how they see themselves is a reflection on those past experiences that can no longer be recovered.

Have you ever run into the friend that never grew up and all they want to do is relive the past? What are they doing now to make tomorrow better than yesterday? They aren’t…they are upset and confused about where they are today, so they can not see anything better than the structure they had in the past. By trying to relive the past, they are attempting to bring back that same happiness instead of finding new happiness for the future.

At the start of decade…every year…and every day, I make it a goal for myself to make it the best ever. By making every year better than the last, I am able to say that I am living the best years of my life all of the time. I am no longer looking to the past for my happiness. I am looking forward to the future and making goals to keep the streak running. Does this mean that things are not going to come up that are looking to derail my plan? Absolutely not…even if you are looking to make every year better than your last…life still happens. It is how we handle life…one day at a time…that makes it so that you can continue to see better years in the future.

I do not understand why someone would want to have the best years of their life at such an early stage. Those were not the best years of my life. They were great, but this year is better and I am working towards making next year even better than this one. I challenge you to do the same in your life. When times are tough…it is increasingly important to find ways to make each day happier than the last.

In the end, this is your one and only life in this world. Do you want to look back at wasted time worrying about the past or do you want to feel satisfied that you gave it your all while you had the chance? For this cycling obsessed blogger and husband, I want to make each and everyday better than the last.

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3 comments

Bob Bessette September 28, 2009 - 8:49 pm

Robb,
Well put. I don’t think I’ve ever said that I want to go back to any point in time because I am happy with my life as it is now. I think that next year will be greater than this year as you do. If I didn’t feel this way it would be a sad existence. I hope your next year is your best year, and so on…

Best,
Bob

Reply
Robb Sutton October 1, 2009 - 12:59 pm

Thanks Bob. Here’s to another great year!

Reply
Rob October 4, 2009 - 9:56 pm

Great post. I agree, if I always look back in my past as the best days of my life. Then that means I have no room for improvement, or even better days since I’m basing my happiness off of the past. I will continue to live each day better than the last, and I plan to keep it that way.

Great post.

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