Anticipation

I am learning that anticipation of the future is sometimes a barrier to experiencing it fully and creatively. As a person who has encountered my share of speed bumps in life, I am prone to cling to a sense of control of the future by being overly cautious and perspicacious. In some situations, this is wisdom. In others, it is folly.

If I am focused on my own practice of being centered in my personal values and boundaries in the moment, I need not anticipate the future with needless anxiety. By eating well, getting enough rest, meditating, exercising and doing all the things that keep me healthy, I am able to be in the moment with confidence and optimism. However, if I let my practice slide, trouble is inevitable. My judgment is less true to my values and human needs. Then I am again in a position of being anxious about the outcome of my decisions.

The intensity of anticipation of the future has become a useful barometer for me. It is often the stimulus for my working harder on my daily practice. Living at peace in the present generally leads to a more peaceful future in my experience.