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I spend a lot of time looking backward.

I reminisce about better days. When I felt things were simpler. When I was younger. When my career and life were a blank canvas in front of me.

Or I look forward. To the moment where I reach that perfect future. The one where everything finally falls perfectly into place. Where I’ve achieved all of my goals, fixed all of my problems, and stumbled upon eternal happiness.

But deep down inside, I know I’ve got it all wrong.

I was talking to one of my neighbors last week. He's almost 80 and a very sharp guy. He said something to me that’s been stuck in my head for a few weeks:

"I spent my thirties wanting my twenties back, and my forties wishing for my thirties. Now I'd give anything to be 50 again."

Then he laughed and said, "But I bet when I'm 95, I'll think 80 was pretty great."

I know he’s right.

Right now, you're living in a time you'll probably romanticize about later. That apartment you’re complaining about will become "the charming place I had." The job that stresses you out will transform into a place "where I could have given so much more." All the big challenges you face today will become the war stories you tell tomorrow.

“Eventually, terrible memories turn into great ones…” — Tame Impala

Most of us are pretty bad at recognizing good times while we're in them.

When my wife and I got married, we lived in a rundown little apartment in Brooklyn. It was the two of us, our two dogs, and a job we each worked 10-hour days at. We didn’t have much money (in fact, we were pretty heavily in debt), but we had energy, possibilities, and everything ahead of us.

I look back at this period fondly. Not because being broke was fun. It wasn’t. But because I was working hard, building my little family, meeting incredible people, learning how to be an adult, and growing in my life and career. All of those struggles in my twenties and thirties shaped who I’ve become at almost 44.

We're always convinced the grass was greener. Or will be greener. Never noticing that it’s pretty green right here, right now.

The problems you have right now will someday be problems you'd gladly trade back for. Your present circumstances, however imperfect they might be, have a lot of elements that “future you” will desperately miss.

So, what if you treated today like the good old days?

What if you appreciated this very specific moment, no matter how imperfect it is, knowing that one day you'll look back and realize it was a lot better than you thought?

The good old days aren't behind you. They're not ahead of you.

They're right now.

You just haven't noticed yet.

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