What is in store for you in the future? It is a difficult question to answer because none of us knows how long our future is. Some plan heartily for the future.  Someone my age, nearly 57, thinks of retirement years.  Someone my daughter’s age, 16, thinks of career choices.  Others in their early adulthood, like my sons, think about where to live or how to increase profits in their businesses. We all think of our future in one way or another. We think about it, but do we proactively work toward it?

Martial arts teach students to live in the moment or in the present.  We should breathe deeply and cherish the moment. We should appreciate what we have and who we love.  We acknowledge that this moment is the only time we truly have, and I live by this motto.  Don’t you notice that time flies by so quickly that if we do not stop to take notice of the present moment we wonder where time has gone?

The intent of living in the moment, however, is not meant to exclude the future.  I still think about tomorrow or how I can use this very moment in time to improve.  For example, every martial art breath, thought, and action brings me better health for tomorrow.

The here and now defines the places we want to go and requires sacrifice and patience. When I began martial arts, I wanted to earn a black belt.  It was a long and tedious journey but because I planted the seed in my mind, I made the “now” lead to my future. When I landed a new job across the country, I lived without my family for six months.  The “now” was opportunity and the future was about creating a new life.

What is your “now” moment? Everyone has a different perception of where they are right now and where they want to be. The one thing that we all have in common is that if we do not take the steps to reach our goals and dreams now, they never materialize in our future. The “now” requires plans, changes, and dreams.  Today I am ten pounds heavier than I was a year ago.  What happened?  I began online courses to earn my master’s degree which was an exciting lifelong ambition. With working full-time and going to school I did not have the time to work out as much as usual.  However, I promised myself that in the future, after I completed my program, I would return to working out more.  True to my promise, I finished my degree and am now back in the gym regularly and practicing Tai Chi at home.

Your now moment is filled with many things.  Don’t forget to include promises to yourself about the things that are fulfilling and meaningful to you. Appreciate the moment, reflect on your journey, and make way for your dreams. Self-promises create an opening in the future that allow you to return to that which you left behind because of other sacrifices or commitments.

It’s true.  The future is not guaranteed.  Still, I want to live my life to its fullest and so should you.

Mastering your future requires two things:  an appreciation of the present moment and a recognition that the present quickly brings you to the future, whether you plan for it or not.  Stop right now and set a few goals for yourself in 6 months, a year, and even 5 years from now.  Take this time, this very moment, to master your future.

xoxo

Andrea

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