Robbing the Present

Do you ever let your future rob your present? Many of us spend unnecessary amounts of time paying attention to and worrying about speculations regarding the future. We watch economic and market forecasts, read about upcoming elections including polls predicting which candidate will win what, and we listen to commentary about what may or may not happen tomorrow and next month and next year. Then we have our own private worries about the future on top of it all.

And it is not all bad news that steals joy from the present. We look towards future positive events and allow our impatience for their materialization to mute the joy we feel in the moment. “I’ll be more happy when … I get that promotion, go on that vacation, finish this semester, etc.” Rather than wait in eager anticipation, we treat that future event as if it is a get-out-of-jail-free card from the prison of current circumstances.

Please do not misunderstand, I am not advocating for a lack of planning and even sacrificing for the future. But you must be mindful of where your emotions are carrying you as you consider possible events of tomorrow, especially if those possibilities are out of your control. Do those thoughts bring you Anxiety? Restlessness? A lack of contentment?

Be careful how much power you give your future over your present. If you dwell on bad events before they happen, you suffer the pain long before – and for greater duration – than necessary. Also be careful not to cheat yourself out of the pleasant surprise when good events take place.

Do not let tomorrow steal from today.

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