Being Present

Today, I’ve been thinking a lot about being more present. I don’t want to keep planning so far ahead because, honestly, plans rarely turn out the way I expect. Too often, things I map out never even happen. For much of my life, I’ve tried to use intuition and perception to anticipate every possible outcome, thinking through countless scenarios in an attempt to be prepared. But I’m starting to realize that this habit is exhausting and, ultimately, fruitless.

Yes, there have been moments where anticipating a worst-case scenario made me feel a bit more ready when it actually occurred. But in the grand scheme, that preparation didn’t make the outcome any easier to handle. More often than not, the things I worried about didn’t even happen. And when they did, all the planning didn’t reduce the impact of experiencing them in real time.

What I want now is to live in the moment without being consumed by fear of the future. Whatever life throws at me, I know I’ll face it when the time comes. Whether I’ve planned for it or not, I’ll have to deal with it in that moment. So, why suffer twice—once in anticipation and again when it actually happens?

Instead of reacting to things before they even arrive, I want to meet them head-on as they unfold. I want to stop waiting in fear and anxiety for what *might* happen and start welcoming life as it comes. When something requires a response, I’ll respond then—not sooner. Living this way feels lighter, freer. I want to trust myself enough to face challenges without carrying the burden of unnecessary worry in the meantime.