The main causes of fast-forwarders are self-centeredness and living in guilt and condemnation.

We need to face, feel, and process the pain that arises within us when we meet with difficult and distressing circumstances. Our unwillingness to face the pain that comes from our losses and the hurts and injuries that occur in our lives, is one of the major causes of psychological problems. Reality must be faced. When most people cannot take too much reality, they run down the convenient road of denial.

There are, of course, many good things that happen to us, but we must not blind our eyes to the bad or unpleasant things that occur and thus deny reality. We don’t have to become preoccupied with the sad things by constantly thinking about them, but we do have to accept that they happen. A balanced view of life is essential if we are to live effectively. If we believe that in order for us to experience a life that is good we must avoid negative feelings, eventually we will not be able to feel positive emotions either to their fullest extent – joy, pleasure, satisfaction, and so on. We will become emotionally anaesthetized.

Whenever we are unwilling to face and feel a negative emotion it implies that we are not in charge of it but that it is in charge of us, and as mentioned earlier, it will began to program itself, control our emotions, and whenever we faced that ‘unpleasantness’ it will starts to avoid it, deny it, and dismiss it. It simply and automatically goes into fast-forward mode.

As human beings, we are made in the image of God; we must clothe ourselves with love, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Free yourself from the spirit of ‘demandingness’ – the attitude of those who assert that everything should go their way, or that they ought to be given more consideration or insisting having their rights respected irrespective of anyone else.

Some people are lonely because of the oppression of others, some because their own competitiveness separates them from others. Money and possessions are not much good when you have no one to share them with. Life lived on this level is meaningless. When you are in a loved relationships, you not only have what the other person gives you, but you have another quality – a strength and power that comes from relationships, which you could never have experienced if you had stayed apart. It’s called ‘synergism’ – in the fusion of love relationships you discover a greater strength – an inner strength of love, peace, joy, and hope.

Love and empathy are the answers to the issue of fast-forwarding life. Click on the pause button to reflect who you have not been investing time with. Everything happens for a reason. Every action in our life is a phase of learning and growing. It helps to build our character and help us make who we really are.

Stop searching outside for your answer to your self-identity. Look to the inside and give love, peace, hope and joy to everyone, and you will know that is the reason why you are created. For God is love, and wants us to love one another, not chasing meaningless temporal things which focus only on one self. Love is all things and that’s the purpose of life. Knowing how to receive and give love creates the true meaning of living. The only happiness is to love and to be loved.

The joy of living ought to be evident in every period of our lives, right up to old age. Don’t try to avoid certain stages of life just because you find it unpleasant. Enjoy the process of seeing your children grow, enjoy the company of family members and friends, enjoy receiving and giving love, learn to accept people for who they are. Enjoy life now, not later. Whatever your age, remember it’s great just to be alive. Enjoy it!

Life is managed. Learn to take charge of your life. Never in your life are you without problems and challenges. Facing problems builds character. Without occasional pain, we wouldn’t be able to recognize and appreciate pleasure. Problems are opportunities to distinguish yourself. Stop pressing on the fast-forward button. Click on the ‘Pause’ now – it’s time to acknowledge, you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Never lose sight of the stakes involved. Start living your life with love, hope and joy.