Having been a proponent of mindfulness for many years, I am often asked questions about my beliefs, such as: “If you are living in the present moment, how do you plan or have ambition for the future? How do you get stuff done? Doesn’t living in the moment mean you just go through life letting whatever happens to you happen?”
I get it, when thinking about mindfulness, sometimes it evokes visuals of people sitting in Lotus Position, eyes closed, softly chanting om. Generalizations aside, these types of questions miss the nuances of living in and bringing yourself back into the present. In the present we are focused on the matter at hand; we are aware of what we are doing, our surroundings, the people we are with, and the sensations and thoughts in our bodies. We can articulate goals, make lists, create work, have real conversations, cook a meal, brush our teeth, or plan for the future. We can even daydream. These are all actions we can do actively in the present, and they are intentional.
When we are in the present moment, we are focused and attuned to what we are doing, not ruminating about something in the past or worrying about what will happen to us. The nuance is subtle. It may seem that by worrying about something that has yet to happen we are imagining our future or even planning for it, however, that is not usually the case. When we are actively planning we are thinking about the actions we will take, or visualizing outcomes, rather than worrying or creating scenarios in our minds that go from bad to worse. In the first case, we will create eustress (short term stress that’s helpful and focuses energy) which brings a sense of challenge to our situation and thinking. In the second case, we trigger our stress response, which is short or long term stress that activates our fight or flight instincts.
One way to think of this is when you have a test to take. You can be in the present studying, preparing, reviewing your notes, and even anticipating the nature of the exam to focus your study. But you will transition into worrying about the future if you imagine you will fail the test, wonder what will happen if you don’t do well, or think that someone else will surely do better than you. When we prepare, we are actively pursuing something; we are creating and acting in a manner congruent with what we need or desire. When we are lost in worry, we lose sight of what we were thinking or doing in the present, and the actions necessary to reach our goals.
With all of this in mind, it’s easy to see that living in the present doesn’t mean you get a free pass on preparing for the future. However, it does mean enjoying the world in real time. (Personally, I recommend taking a break to be still, meditate, and possibly throw an om in for good measure.)
