Present in the Moment
I spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for the future. As a matter of fact, I spend way too much time. I have this bad habit of ruminating about my financial goals, to the point where it preoccupies my mind. I’m not sure why I do this since I’m on track to meet my current goals and way ahead of my original goals from 1991. Yet, I turn it over in my head time-after-time, day-after-day. I even think about it at night, while I’m drifting off to sleep.
Completing My Goals
I remember doing this a lot, while I was paying off my house last year. I kept thinking about the loan balance, payments and months remaining. When I was three months away from paying it off, these thoughts turned off like a switch. My subconscious mind told me this goal was done and I stopped thinking about it.
Since I’m getting so close to reaching my Freedom Number goal, I’m not sure why I can’t stop thinking about it. The whole reason I created this goal was to have the resources to enjoy my life without worry. Instead, I’m obsessing about reaching the number and not enjoying the life I’m trying to create. I need to find the switch and turn off all of these thoughts. My goal is on auto-pilot at this point and I’m not speeding it up by thinking about it all day.
In a year or two, I will have reached all of my current goals and I will no longer have them cluttering up my mind and clamoring for my attention. I certainly hope I will be able to live in peace, without the constant need to process the details in my head. I should be celebrating reaching these goals, instead of being consumed by them.
Being Present
Last month, one of my Facebook friends posted a meme about being present in the moment and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have so carefully planned my life and finances and it’s working out great. Yet, I have allowed these thoughts to dominate my mind and distract me from the beautiful life I am living. I need to stop obsessing about it and start enjoying my financial situation. I need to find new thoughts that are pleasant and rewarding. I need to create new dreams that aren’t based on numbers in my investment accounts.
The Bottom Line
Goals and plans are valuable tools and they have served me well in my pursuit of prosperity. Now it’s time for me to change my focus from the financial minutiae of my goals to fully enjoying my life and all it’s treasures.
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. But, If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
