Go sit on your rooftop or a place open to sky without walls. Now make two lists. One of all the things you want to do, achieve or posses in your remaining life and second of all the goals & wishes you have accomplished /fulfilled already.
Warning : The first list has endless myriad possibilities so try to hold your whims.
With the two lists in your hand close your eyes for 5-10 minutes. Now open your eyes and try to imagine the contents from list one first. Then reminisce the nostalgia from list two.
Interestingly except for a discrimination in your own mind (almost irrelevant with your present) there is not much difference in your past & future. They both have a certain formation in our mind as to what we still seek and things we sought earlier. But after succeeding at some they just become a memory we like to cherish. The once that we didnt succeed at or have recently formulated leaves us feeling deprived. Some people would like to call themselves ambitious in such a state but does it mean hanging your contentment on something uncertain & unforeseen when your present is going to remain the same. How can you just hope for the best to happen to you and not prepare for the worst. Even though they both will convert from future to present when they come and immediately become past with each passing moment. We will try to hold to it whether overjoyed or depressed but wont succeed. Its the law of nature.
Can anybody list or mention any incident that made a difference to their being and existence? In all probability it just added a feeling, a nostalgia, positive or negative. Does it really matter that much that we sacrifice our present on an assumption of life getting better one day. Isnt it or cant it be considered better already and better than what exactly, just ponder. The things you are conditioned to havent changed a bit. You still have to do the basics and you still remain conditioned to so many things. None of it really liberates you from what you are & where you are.
Kaid e hayaat o bande gham, asal mein dono ek hain,
maut se pehle aadmi gham se nijaat paaye kyo:
Gham e hasti ka asad kisse ho jujj marg ilaaj,
shama har rang mein jalti hai sahar hone tak
Whether you owned the guitar or latest tablet, you went abroad for holiday or attended a live concert, you excelled in your career or profession, found the man/woman of your dreams, got recognized for something you dedicated years to, got the latest suv, all of its net result /effect is in your mind. If you were successful or you kept striving. You are where you were before you began and irrespective of the result. It is unfortunately very inconsequential if you look slightly beneath the surface.
If only the malady would end here but till the time you have the means & measures you will again start chasing an old or new dream which keeps you deprived of satisfaction. Something that doesnt exist outside and hence doesnt depend on anything external. When everything relates to you because you exist then it has to come from within first. Why do all your actions have to be from a deprived state and not contended. Because if you are contended first then there will not be any association with the activity and hence you wont be indulged enough to forget `Your Self'. Is it not possible to do actions not backed by a motive, desire or wish? As unless it is completely self-less it is never pure action. You are just compelled by your mental state to be involved in that activity no matter what is. Its not your own willful action.
Its not very difficult to know your self without any deprivation. It may devoid you of your usual zeal temporarily but with practice & patience it will establish you in unfazed peace & satisfaction from within. You dont have to fight & strive so hard externally. You wont be indulging in activities then but only do pure action. It just requires knowing your self a bit and not just your physical attributes.
It will be not be fruitful to label your condition and try to defend it in your mind for your own sake. Whether its deprivation of love, money, emotion, comfort, care, recognition, respect, excel, food, clothes, health, shelter................................. it can go on. But as long as something else is governing you then you know you have to get away from that track of life. Start following your self from this very moment.