Living in the Past?

I don’t know about other people, but when I am out running I have all sorts of crazy thoughts.   This morning I was jamming to some 80s music and a song I forgot I had on my iPod came on.  The song took me back to some more care-free days in college.  Then my mind wandered even more and I started thinking about people who seem to live in the past.  As I was huffing along in the cold morning air, I broke them down into two categories.  The ones who still think they are great because of previous accomplishments and the ones who have bettered themselves but still see themselves as the (fill in the blank) from way back when. 

I did not ponder too much on the ones who still think they are great.  We all know them.  They are the high school or college jock types who never got past being the starting quarterback.  A fair number of the people I grew up with are like this.  Their lives never got past those accomplishments many years ago.  It is sad really that whatever the accomplishment was was the highlight of their lives. 

The other group actually makes me sad and in some cases mad.  Those individuals who have greatly bettered themselves in terms of education, financial status, and (since this is a workout blog) those who have overcome their lack of athleticism.  They have worked hard to be that good runner, biker, swimmer, or whatever; have gotten in shape and lost weight and look good.  Why do they still see themselves as the slow or the fat kid? 

I was always active growing up.  I played organized baseball from age 6 through college.  I was a decent player, but never pro material.  I ran track a couple of years in middle school, played football in middle and high schools, and even wrestled a couple of seasons.  I was fit and skinny.  The army kept me in shape and as I have aged the challenge has gotten more difficult.  The pounds don’t melt off and I don’t recover as fast I use too.  But I don’t really dwell on the past.  I try to learn from things that have occurred in the past, but I don’t see myself as that 18 year old athlete. 

My question is do you still see yourself as that person you were, or do you embrace the new you?  What would your family say?