2023 wasn’t the best year for me, it felt very stagnant and full of more failures than success, but it really was a year of huge steps in my self-development. I have carried two important lessons into 2024, the most crucial being Present Living, Future Thriving. I started to delve into this during 2023 and it meant I really entered the year on a high, and it’s really set me up to go into 2024 on such a positive footing that I am already seeing the benefits.
Why Present Living, Future Thriving?
In a world that constantly pulls us in different directions, the art of living in the present has become a rare and precious skill. I found that I was focusing so much on a future that seemed so positive that I was making myself miserable in the now; creating an environment that was, on reflection, hindering me from that future I wanted.
It really taught me the value of finding that delicate balance between making the most of opportunities in the present moment and laying the foundation for a thriving future.
How I am learning to live in the present
About seven months ago I finally admitted to myself that I was coasting through h2023, and that the disappointments I was experiencing with failures and missed opportunities were due to the burnout at life I was going through, because I was so focused on putting my head down and getting to the end that I had missed out on doing fun things and it was affecting my mentality and productivity.
I started making changes, being more outgoing and making quality changes to how I was eating, dressing, and saying yes to multiple opportunities. The biggest was agreeing to go skiing with my best friend. I have always wanted to go skiing, I had lessons as part of my goals in 2022 but have never going anywhere but the indoor slopes I had skied to learn. So, standing on the top of the most mountains and skiing down runs I never thought I would be able to do was life changing.
I wanted to end 2023 in the way I wanted to begin 2024, truly living.
That landmark moment in my personal growth journey where I had made the most of the last-minute opportunity but balance it with the revision and work, I needed to do whilst I was there so that I never once felt guilty. Saying yes to ziplining down a mountain is something 9 months ago I never would have done, but I did it; I have the photos to prove it.
Future Thriving
Embracing the present doesn’t mean neglecting the future; rather, it involves harnessing the power of now to shape a brighter tomorrow. It feeds your motivation and drives you to continue finding that dopamine boost. Most importantly it stops you reaching that burnout, it’s easier to take small continual steps then must pull yourself out of a steep hole dug during a burnout. By cultivating a mindset that appreciates the present while staying open to future possibilities, you’ll develop the strength needed to overcome obstacles and thrive in an ever-changing world.
So I build into my long term plans the ability to take up last minute opportunities and space for doing things outside of those plans.
Take my finances for example, when I started this new viewpoint of life one of the things I wanted to do was get ahead on my finances, I wanted to think about myself in five, ten and twenty-five years but also no live so to the penny that I wasn’t going anything out of fear of spending.
So, I’ve been growing my emergency funds, developing my help to buy mortgage account, and immersing myself in the world of investing. But I have also started a fuck-it fund; designed to sit there and save money but be there to take up an opportunity. I have also started saving for a holiday for 2024.
I build in both the present and the future into my mindset and my spending means I am actively allowing myself to have the best of both worlds and not sacrificing either but achieving both.
Where to start when trying to live in the present and plan for the future?
Embedding yourselves in the depths of your finances when you might not be in the right mindset yet but want to make the change is maybe not the best place to start. You need to learn how to blend strategic planning with a present mindset ensuring what you do today aligns with your aspirations for a prosperous tomorrow. I started by planning small things into my life, a dinner out, a theatre trip, even a bit of a makeover. Planned then in enough time to mentally prepare myself but also give myself the motivation to get those long-delayed tasks done and get myself to a place where I could be present there and not worrying about the things I head neglected in my burnout.
For 2024, there’s something planned every month, or I’ve scoped out places to go on a last-minute holiday or see what’s available then; and importantly and keeping those spaces free for fun things not work. I’ve looked at my plans and extended time on some goals to allow me some freedom and reminded myself I need to walk not run.
So remember, contrary to popular belief, planning for the future and living in the moment are not mutually exclusive. The secret to success and personal growth is to have the best of both worlds. Happiness isn’t a thing to only want in the future, its not an end goal. It should be something to have and to aim to keep as you continue to grow.
So get involved…
Think about a goal for the future and something you want to do in the next month or two… type it below and hold yourself accountable to it by putting it in writing. In the next few months and weeks, you’ll start to hear about mine and how I plan to get there, and I would love to follow your journeys too.
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