Why let the future ruin the present? http://amzn.to/2ipX4hb
Dexter Book: Dexter’s Final cut
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Stop the future ruining the present
In Dexter’s Final Cut, Dexter asks a practical question. Why let the future ruin the present? Worry about what might happen often steals joy from what is happening. A pleasant evening becomes tense because of tomorrow’s meeting. A holiday fades because of the work waiting at home.
Anticipatory anxiety is common. The brain tries to prepare for possible threats by rehearsing them. Sometimes this helps, prompting useful planning. However, much worry concerns events that never happen. A small study by Robert Leahy’s colleagues suggested that most worries people recorded did not come true.
Preventing the future ruining the present
One effective technique is scheduled worry time. Set aside fifteen minutes each day to think through concerns and write possible actions. Outside that window, when worries appear, note them and postpone them. Therefore, the mind learns that concerns will be handled, just not right now.
Another technique separates solvable problems from unsolvable ones. For solvable problems, plan the next step. For unsolvable ones, practise acceptance. As an illustration, you cannot control a client’s decision, but you can prepare the best proposal possible.
Mindfulness also helps bring attention back to the present. Simple practices, such as noticing breath or physical sensations, interrupt anxious loops. Moreover, regular practice reduces the overall frequency of worry over time.
Healthy planning remains important. The goal is not to ignore the future, but to give it the right amount of attention.
Enjoying the present also improves future outcomes. Rested, happy people make better decisions than anxious ones.
In the end, Dexter’s question is surprisingly wise. The future will arrive regardless. The present, meanwhile, is the only moment we can actually live and enjoy.
