How to Stop Thinking About the Past

A 60-second shift to pull your mind back to the present

Dear friends,

People often ask me how to stay optimistic, how to keep a good mood no matter what life brings.

Here’s the truth: you can’t feel good if you keep living in the past.

“The past is over. You can’t do anything about it.”

When we replay old memories—what we should’ve said, what we could’ve done differently—we give the past power it no longer deserves. It eats away at us with regret and self-criticism.

You might hear that voice say, “I wish I’d handled that better.”
But the past is done. You can’t fix it. You can only learn from it and move forward.

So how do you stop thinking about the past?
Start with awareness.

Close your eyes for a moment and listen to what’s happening inside your mind. When you catch yourself drifting into an old memory, pause.

Take a slow breath in through your nose. Hold it for a moment.
Then exhale through your mouth and say to yourself, “That was then. This is now.”

Just 60 seconds of awareness can pull you out of the past and bring you back home to the present.

The more you practice this, the easier it becomes.
The past loses its grip. The mind quiets.
And what’s left is peace.

“Stay in the present as much as you possibly can, and you will feel better. You’ll feel happier.”

Let the past rest where it belongs. Come home to now.

Golden light,

Dr. Richard Louis Miller

P.S.I share many short, practical practices like this in my book, Master Your Mind: Practical Tools to Calm Anxiety, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Stop Overthinking. They’re designed to help you find calm, presence, and gratitude in just a few mindful moments each day.

---

1-minute mind control (my new book)

Traditional mindfulness and meditation techniques often require a huge investment of your most precious resource (time) without guarantees of results.

My own version of mindfulness—what I sometimes refer to as “mind control”—can be mastered in much less time if you commit to regular 60-90 second practice throughout the day.

Breathing. Witnessing. Changing the channel on negative thoughts.

I’ve honed these techniques over a lifetime of personal and professional practice, and now I’m sharing them with the world.

Get my new book Master Your Mind, and as a thank you for your support, I’ll give you a free 30-day subscription to our premium newsletter and exclusive content. Just reply to this email after you buy it to confirm your purchase.

This Week’s MBHP Episode:

The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

Psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson joins Mind Body Health & Politics to explore how community, compassion, and connection shape mental well-being. Together, we discuss the duality of love and hate, the importance of “feeding the wolf of love,” and how mindfulness, playfulness, and civic engagement can strengthen both individual and collective mental health.

Guest: Dr. Rick Hanson – Psychologist, author of Hardwiring Happiness and Buddha’s Brain, and expert in positive neuroplasticity and emotional resilience