Taking some time to look out past “what comes next” to “what comes in the future” may also support you and your energy in the present.
So many people writing to give you advice on what to do, often going into great specifics. Recognise that I’m also doing the former, but will avoid the latter, simply looking to help each of us reflect and bring awareness to where we are in the moment as we move through this.
Yesterday I wrote: “Watch out for feeling flat“, sharing my sense that in the coming week many will have a “flat” or “down” energy as things continue. T
Today, then, a thought that it may be supportive to both operate and think in two timeframes at this time.
Focus on Now
It is always important, at this time especially so, to focus on the present, both in terms of “Being present” and also in what you need to do today and in the immediate future.
Focus on Future
In recent weeks I’ve talked of three timeframes, “What comes now?”, “What comes next?” and “What comes in the future?”. At this stage often we think about now and next, but many feel unable to think about the future as it feels uncertain.
However, as I wrote in recent posts such as: “Not for Sale” and “Thinking beyond the map“, this can also be a time to look 12,18,24+ months down the line at what opportunities are possible, both for business and personally.
These posts highlighted ideas of what is possible on a business opportunity level if you think, to paraphrase the world’s greatest investor (Warren Buffett) “longer term than the next guy”.
On a personal level, this is important too. For those fortunate enough to be able to continue to work from home and be paid to do it, these weeks will have been full of change, with some positive and some negatives, some relaxation and often much stress and anxiety.
To look out to the future then, one thought came from a client this week, who reflected that they had a family conversation in their household and each person asked for one thing they would “keep” when this passes. One of the children said: “can we keep our daily family walks?”.
That one may be possible (with some commitment to working hours and schedule) in the relatively near term as lockdown gradually lifts. Beyond that, though, what might you look at longer-term? Might you truly commit to something you already knew you could do in the future but have “kicked the can down the road” on and put off again and again?
What opportunities might you look towards in the future? Taking some time to look out past “what comes next” to “what comes in the future” may also support you and your energy in the present.