Balancing the Now with the Future
As a Myers-Briggs INTJ type, I tend to be future-focused. This has served me well in life, but it takes effort to be intentional about living in the here and now.
If you don’t know your personality type, I encourage you to take a free test online. There are other intuitive personality types that keep one eye on the future, apart from the rare INTJ type, and you may be one of them.
With one foot in the present and one in the future, it’s a balancing act to find the happy medium. If I live solely in the future, then my life will pass me by without having lived it. If I live purely in the present, I will fail to plan for my future and regret it. Neither of the extremes is ideal.
One of my life mottoes is Be Kind To Your Future Self. It has led me to spend time planning and preparing, and not procrastinating. But sometimes my diligence has meant I missed the present moment entirely.
Since I can’t rid myself of my visionary tendency, nor would I want to, I have to learn to work with it.
Here’s how I’m attempting to strike a balance between the present and the future in a few essential aspects of life - health, finances, and spirituality.
Spiritual
A spiritual future-focus means thinking about death (in a memento mori way, not in a morbid way) and what will become of “me”. My ideas on this have morphed as I continue to grow and evolve. As I study and learn more about consciousness and Eastern philosophy, the more peace and ease I feel about this natural transition.
To remain rooted in the present, I practice meditation and mindfulness, which are designed to train the brain to stay present. These practices pull me back into the now, so I can enjoy every moment of my life, despite my INTJ tendency to dwell in the future. Focusing on the breath as it rises and falls is the ultimate grounding, present-based activity.
Financial
My intuitive understanding of the world of money began early, when I first learned about compound interest. Mastery of the financial aspect of life would mean not having to be stuck in a soul-destroying job, and this held great appeal for someone who never felt a strong career calling. My real vocations - raising my kids and writing - were unpaid, joyful work.
Things that come naturally to me: saving, minimalism, frugality, delaying gratification, not craving material possessions.
Things that can be a struggle for me: cracking open my wallet even when I can afford the thing I want.
Apart from spending liberally on travel and experiences, Future Amy has a way of talking Present Amy out of spending money. I’m aware that I saved for a future that might not come, so I need a healthy balance. More often, I strive to live in the moment and do (or buy) what brings me joy right now.
Health
Being future-focused in this realm has been worth the effort. My interest in health sparked in my late twenties, when I fully realized that I get this one body as my vehicle to navigate life, so I better treat it well. The goal obviously isn’t immortality but to enjoy the longest health-span I can. The less time I spend sick or injured, the more time I get to savour my life.
I spend a good chunk of every day doing all the things to improve or maintain my health. It runs the gamut - preparing foods, exercising, drinking three litres of water (yep, not easy), getting adequate sleep, taking supplements - and more. Spending time each day on these activities should allow me to do things in my later years like continue to travel and hike, or play with grandkids, or whatever the future holds. Maintaining my health feeds my desire to be prepared, because I’m giving my body the best chance to be ready for whatever life brings.
But Future Amy may never get a chance to show her face in this world. I make sure that the activities I do to take care of my health are enjoyable and not a hardship. Also, sometimes I just eat the damn cupcake. Sugar is my weakness, and I love chocolate. So I allow myself to indulge.
These are a few of the ways I’m figuring out how to walk the middle way between living for now and planning for the future. If you are also an intuitive/future-focused personality type, and you experience the same internal struggle, I’d love to know how you balance your future and current needs.
indeed
I am ALWAYS living in the future. That's why I love planning to much. It's been an interesting ride though being with my husband who suffers from ADHD in the slightest way. He is extremely present focused so that when I approach him about something in the future, I always have to be careful with when to do it to make sure he can process the information at that time. I know that if he is truly immersed into something in the present moment, I should rather not approach him. Definitely a learning curve and good practice for me!