“If you want to conquer overthinking, bring your mind to the present moment and reconnect it with the immediate world.”

― Amit Ray

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about the future and wondering how something will work out? Will you win that case? Will you make partner? Will that new client you just met with engage your services? Will your son or daughter get into that college they dream of?

As lawyers, we spend valuable time planning for the future, analyzing our options, and strategizing the best course of action. But we can go too far. We can get stuck in the future. We can overthink it. It happens to many of us. I know it occurs to me.

Living in the future is a common experience for many people. While planning for the future can be helpful, worrying about what might happen can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Overthinking can also lead to indecisiveness and a lack of productivity, making it difficult to take action toward achieving your goals. Fortunately, some tools and strategies can help you manage overthinking and return your focus to the present moment. In this newsletter, I will explore the problems with overthinking the future and provide practical tips to help you stop overthinking and live more mindfully.

What is the problem with living in the future?

The most significant impact is on how we feel. It is great to have dreams, hopes, and visions; and to plan for the future. But, are you living too much in the future? We can create our emotional nightmare if we focus too much on the future and the unknown. 

Overthinking the future may significantly impact our mental health. Constantly worrying about what may or may not happen in the future can lead to anxiety, stress, and overwhelming feelings. This can cause our thoughts to spiral out of control, making it difficult to focus on the present moment or take action toward achieving our goals. Overthinking can also lead to negative self-talk and self-doubt, damaging our self-esteem and confidence. In extreme cases, overthinking can contribute to developing anxiety disorders or depression. Therefore, finding healthy ways to manage our thoughts and emotions and bring our focus back to the present moment is important.

What happens often is we are living in fear of what might happen. We are afraid of something that has not happened yet. We begin suffering the pain now of what is only a future possibility. If it happens, we suffer that pain twice, now and when it happens. If it does not, we suffer that pain for nothing. When we live in the future, we allow a merely possible future event to ruin today’s happiness.

But there are other negative impacts as well. These are some other problems we encounter when we spend too much time living in the future:

1. We will not enjoy the present. There is so much happiness and beauty in our present life, but we sometimes miss today's gifts if we focus on tomorrow. We may find it difficult to enjoy and appreciate the present moment fully. I know I am often somewhere wholly wonderful, but my mind wanders to some place else where I will be later. I rob myself of the joy of the present.

2. Missed opportunities: Focusing solely on the future can cause us to miss out on options available in the present.

3. It affects our relationships. Worrying about what our friends, family, and spouse will do, how they will behave, and what will happen can create negative stress in otherwise healthy relationships.

4. It can create adverse outcomes. Worrying about the future and projecting ahead to a negative result can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we focus on too many negative thoughts about what will happen, the results are often less successful than they otherwise would be.

5. Loss of spontaneity: Constantly thinking about the future can lead to a loss of spontaneity and a lack of ability to enjoy impromptu experiences.

We have no control over the future. We create frustration when trying to control something we cannot control. The story still needs to be written. Trying to control it simply creates frustration and disappointment.

The future is not a healthy place to live, don’t you agree?

How do we stop overthinking the future?

Are you tired of experiencing that anxiety and stress? Finally, we can break out of the prison of the future. Here are eight tools:

1. Mindfulness: Mindfulness is being engaged in the moment. We can focus on the present instead of worrying about the future. Be aware of your thoughts and feelings. Are you living in the present or obsessing about the future?

2. Redirect your thoughts. When you are stuck worrying about the future or are anxious about something that has not happened, choose a different idea. Redirect yourself to the present. Choose to see a positive outcome instead of a negative one. When mindful that our mind is stuck in the future, we can return to the present.

3. Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you process them and gain a new perspective. You can use a journal to record your worries and fears and explore ways to address them.

4. Breathing exercises: Deep breathing exercises can help you relax and reduce anxiety. Try inhaling deeply for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds, and exhaling for four seconds. Repeat this cycle several times.

5. Gratitude: Focusing on what you're grateful for can help shift your focus away from worrying about the future. Start a gratitude journal or take a few minutes each day to reflect on what you are grateful for.

6. Visualization: Visualization can help you imagine positive outcomes and reduce anxiety about the future. You can visualize yourself successfully dealing with challenges or achieving your goals. Choose to see your success instead of visualizing the worst result. 

7. Get into action. When I am stuck in the future, thinking about what I will be doing tomorrow, I return to the present and purposefully engage in what is in front of me. If we are paralyzed worrying about the future, start a purposeful activity. Get started on doing what helps bring you success- call that prospective client, prepare your case, etc. Getting into action helps to destroy the paralysis of overthinking the future.

8. Seek support. Find a friend or trusted adviser to talk to. Open yourself to someone you trust.  Obtain encouragement from those who care about you. Use the wise counsel of an experienced mentor who can guide your thinking and help you to refocus. 

Conclusion

As lawyers, we take our responsible planning to worry about the future obsessively. Living in the future can negatively affect our mental health and prevent us from living in the present and acting toward our goals. However, by practicing mindfulness, journaling, breathing exercises, gratitude, visualization, and obtaining support, we can learn to manage our thoughts and emotions and bring our focus back to the present moment. Remember that it's okay to plan for the future, but it's important not to let our worries and fears consume us. By using these tools and strategies, we can break free from the cycle of overthinking and start living a more fulfilling and mindful life. So take a deep breath, let go of your worries, and focus on the present. The future will take care of itself.

Would you like to learn more about how I can help you manage your future thoughts? You can schedule a courtesy call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call