Ah, hope for the future. You know, that excitement you feel thinking about what's to come. The next job. The new house. The upcoming vacation. So many possibilities, so much to look forward to!
On one hand, hope keeps us going. It keeps us moving towards a better future. But at what point does hope for a better future become a dangerous game?
By definition, a better future implies a worse present. But don't you remember, we only live in the present? The future will come, but guess what? You'll experience it as the present.
Don't overlook this. It's more important than you might think.
Right now, you're experiencing a present moment that you once longed for in the past. Maybe you didn't desire this exact moment, but generally, where you are right now in your life, is a future state that you once hoped for in the past. Isn't it?
You'll never be there, in the future, because you'll always be here, in the now. Stop forgetting this. You need to remember this throughout your days. Set a timer. Put a sticky note on your arm. For goodness sake, get a tattoo. Whatever will remind you that you can only be here, now, is a worthwhile reminder throughout the day.
Without these reminders, life passes us by. We find ourselves in a perpetual state of hoping for the future, or worse, longing for the past. We simply do not settle in to the one place we do inhabit - the present. This is of upmost importance if we want to live a deeply fulfilling life.
The depth of life is not measured by how long we live, how much we accumulate, or even how many people we impact. Rather, the depth of life is measured by how alive and at peace we can be with each and every moment that unfolds before us.
While you're hoping for the future, and perhaps even excited for it, just remind yourself that when that future comes, you'll still be you, just like you are you now. Will it really be that different?
Live with substance!
Gabe Orlowitz
