BACK TO THE PRESENT

“Back To The Future” taught me to stop time traveling - And start living now

Growing up, I absolutely loved Back to the Future. And I’m not alone. That movie hit something deep in a lot of us.

There’s something captivating about the idea of going back in time. Marty McFly does it—and nearly erases himself from existence. Then Biff grabs that sports almanac and completely screws up the timeline.

The message? Time travel doesn’t fix your life. It usually makes it worse.

Still, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t fantasized about what real time travel would be like.
Going back to see Babe Ruth play. Going forward to see flying cars. Then I realized something…

We time travel constantly

Not with a DeLorean, but with our thoughts.

Every time we say “What if…”, we launch into a future we made up:

What if I run out of money?
What if my marriage falls apart?
What if I write that book and everyone hates it?

And since your subconscious doesn’t know the difference between imagination and reality, these thoughts start to feel real.

You are what you think.
Sad stories become self-fulfilling prophecies.
If you constantly feed your mind doubt and dread—that’s the future you’ll project.

Instead, feed it discipline & determination. Because just like Biff with that betting book, you have the power to shape the outcome. You already hold the playbook.

Now let’s talk about time traveling to the past…

This one’s sneaky. It sounds like this

“I should have…”
“Why didn’t I…”
“I can’t believe I let that happen.”

You revisit past pain like it’s a movie on repeat. You re-live it. You re-feel it. You re-activate the pain. And the more you associate into that suffering, the more likely you are to carry it into your present—and your future.

Stay in the present.

You. Are. Fine. Right. Now. Your future is just a stack of “right nows.” And every time you leave the present, you cut yourself off from your power to shape it.

The next step isn’t found in the past.
It’s not hidden in the future.
It’s right here—waiting for you to slow down, breathe, and take it.

A Simple Shift That Helped Me

As an empath, I used to overanalyze everything. I’d beat myself up over the past.
And obsess over whether the future would be okay.

Even as a kid, I was worrying about whether I’d meet the right person or have a family.
My mind always had something to be anxious about.

I eventually learned to observe the loop. To pause the tape. To remind myself that in this moment, I’m just… here. And from here, I can breathe. I can choose. I can heal.

Want to Go Deeper?

If this resonates with you—and you’ve noticed yourself time traveling into anxiety, guilt, or burnout…

Take my free Core Emotional Needs Survey.
It will help you identify the deep, often unconscious emotional need that’s quietly driving your patterns.

👉 www.richsiropcoaching.com/cen

Because when you understand your emotional blueprint, it’s easier to stop time traveling—and start living fully, right now.

Emotional Traffic Jams - What's Really Blocking You

I used to commute from New Jersey to New York City. On a good day, it would take 45 minutes. On a bad day? Three hours. And on one particularly painful day, it took me three and a half hours to travel just 32 miles.

Sitting in that car, inching forward at a glacial pace, I’d spiral.

I should’ve left earlier. Why didn’t I take the train? Why didn’t I drive yesterday instead? Why do I even live in such a crowded area?

Eventually, I’d surrender—not to peace, but to misery. I’d go numb. By the time I parked and stepped out, I could barely move my legs.

And yet... that traffic jam taught me something.

That’s exactly what emotional overwhelm feels like.

The Mental Freeway

Imagine your mind as a freeway. Every thought, responsibility, regret, or fear is another car you’re letting onto that road.

• The promotion you didn’t get? That’s one car.

• Listening to your friend vent about their partner? Another car.

• Your bank account balance? Car.

• That book you’ve been meaning to write? Yep—add it to the freeway.

• Your inner critic whispering you’re not enough or you’re behind? That’s a whole convoy.

It’s no wonder we get stuck. Just like real traffic, if you flood the highway with too many cars, everything slows down—sometimes to a dead stop.

The Exit Strategy

Here’s the thing: not every car needs to be on your road.

Next time you find yourself looping on a negative thought—or worrying about something from the past or future that’s totally out of your control—try this:

Visualize it as a car. Then picture it taking the next exit.

Seriously. That thought?
→ Off the freeway.
That person’s drama that’s not your responsibility?
→ Exit ramp.
That guilt you’ve been dragging from something you can’t change?
→ Gone.

You’ll never eliminate traffic completely—but you can control what gets to ride with you.

What Cars Do You Want on Your Road?

Not every thought deserves your energy. Choose which cars you let on your mental freeway.

• Your kids’ happiness? Green light.

• Taking care of your mental and physical health? Let it through.

• Moments of joy, creativity, connection? That’s the good traffic.

Everything else? Let it take the bus.

If your inner freeway is too jammed to see the exits, coaching can help you clear the road.

Take the free Core Emotional Needs Assessment or book a free session and let’s start clearing space for the things that matter.