Ok, I know there is a to-do list a mile long for you that just has to be completed. I know that the pressure that feels present in your life doesn't allow you to be present. I also know that that isn't sustainable. Eventually, the autonomic nervous system will short-circuit, and either you'll have an emotional crash or blow up at someone else. Neither of these is ideal.
We have been so trained to look at what's coming in the future and how to prepare for it and focus beyond where we are that most of us forget how to appreciate the beauty of our moment.
A while back, I started calling the future the next present. As a coach and consultant, I often talk to people about goals and what they would like their future to look and feel like. The problem I was seeing was that being so future-oriented, there was no joy at the moment, which is not sustainable.
Thinking of the future as the next present became a double entendre. It could be where we are headed, and it can be the gift we will give ourselves once we get there. A reminder to remain present. The next present is the next step. Close enough that we can see what is achievable and yet distant enough that we can affect it with our energy and action.
When I tell you the look of relief that has come over people's faces when I suggest this, you are going to want to give it a go yourself.
Each time your brain starts to futurize because it feels like it's supposed to prevent something from happening, bring it back to where you are now, appreciate where you are, acknowledge where you are, and then decide what the next present is that you will give yourself. Eventually, this will become a habit rather than running ahead in fear or catastrophizing.
You are a gift and deserve to give yourself the present gift. Do it!
For more tips on creating your next present, tune into this week’s episode here, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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