In today’s world, I find myself in a constant tug-of-war between savoring the present and planning out my future. As a uni student, we are taught to be planning our next step in life: grad school, jobs, travel, and whatnot. We are told that we must know what kind of life we want to have, and that we need to plan for it now, otherwise it might be too late. But then, when we scroll through social media, we see influencers talking about being present. You must journal, you must be grateful for everything in your present life, you must give yourself daily affirmations. We are told that being present is one of the first steps to being grounded and happy. So, what should we do? Should we soak up every ounce of now, or do we strategize for a brighter tomorrow? Spoiler alert: finding a happy medium between the two might just be the secret to a fulfilling life.
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Living in the present is all about letting go of your past regrets and future worries, fully enabling yourself to be immersed in what’s happening right in front of you. That moment you were standing by the ocean with the sun beating down on your face and thought, “Wow, this is beautiful,”…that’s called being present. Or, what about the time you were laughing hysterically with your friends and took a moment to look around at their smiling faces, appreciating the people who make you happy. That’s being present, also.
Every time I find myself being present, I feel a release of stress and anxiety throughout my body. When I am not thinking about my worries, whether it be the mountain of clothes waiting to be folded on my bed or my Economics exam, my brain feels freer. Taking up yoga as a hobby has enabled me to find this feeling of zen. The only thing that matters at the moment is where you are sitting and what is in front of you.
Sometimes I wonder how children can find immense joy in the simplest of things. They play with toys ceaselessly, they giggle when you make a silly face, they make a mess. Children are, in fact, masters of being present. Being able to find joy in the little things, I’ve found, has let me become a better person, almost like embracing my inner-child.
Being present helps me to be fully connected to the people around me. I find it so disheartening when I feel as if the people I am speaking to are not truly listening to me, appearing disconnected from what is in front of them. Over the years, I have worked to develop an internal mechanism for listening and engaging with whatever is in front of me: a person speaking, a lecture, my surroundings.
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“But what about the future?,” you may ask. As a child you’re taught to save for a rainy day; that’s thinking of the future, isn’t it? Indeed.
Setting long-term aspirations helps to plan not only financial and career goals, but also personal growth. Through these measures, I have developed an acute self-awareness and understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. And, also enables me to be more confident when the time comes for me to graduate uni. Without this security of the future, I would completely be lost (and broke).
There’s a certain “je ne sais quoi” about knowing your future and where you’re headed; call it peace of mind, if you will. Personally, the uncertainty of the future comes with a bit of anxiety; I don’t know what to expect. Knowing that I can control my future, right now in the present, gives me something to work toward every day.
And what if you have some specific goal you hope to achieve in the future? You want to become a neurosurgeon. You want to help bring about world peace. Anything! Starting those thoughts now gives you a leg-up in achieving certain prerequisites or experiences that might be necessary to getting to where you want to be.
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So, what is the right answer, you ask. There is not one! Finding the perfect balance that enables you to be happy with your actions and intentions, that is the key. Everyone is different. For some, thinking about the future might be anxiety-provoking, while for others, like me, it might find a sense of peace. Seeking to find this harmonious balance might be difficult, but ultimately, there are benefits to both of these visions, and so, it is up to you to tap into what makes you feel good about yourself.