A Futuristic Approach to Being Present

According to the laws of physics, momentum = mass x velocity. Both mass and velocity are proportional to momentum: if mass or velocity increases, momentum will as well. We can think about the moments in our lives as consecutive circles in a line as depicted in figure 1. Because the time and “distance” in our lives are constant, we can assume a constant velocity. This constant velocity combined with the mass of each circle or “moment” gives us momentum (depicted by the arrows). This momentum then allows us to continue living through more and more moments. As represented by figure 2, if a moment has a greater mass, it will generate more momentum. How can we attribute “more mass” to a moment? We give it more attention and space by being in the present. By living in the now, we are actually able to give ourselves more power in the future.

I thought of this analogy as I was doodling in my journal after a dance class: 90 minutes of connecting with my body and dedicating my full attention to the practice. It’s during times like those where I am able to be in the present moment. I wasn’t thinking about yesterday’s events nor worrying about the rest of my day, but I spent those 90 minutes simply enjoying the feeling of my body moving through space.

Being in the present can be very challenging for me. My mind is constantly thinking about a thousand things at once, and I’m always planning ahead and stressing about what’s next. That’s why this analogy is appealing for someone with a tendency to be future-oriented like me: in addition to having numerous physical and mental benefits, being present also ensures a better future.

Still, it’s important to remember that this future I’m so fixated on isn’t actually real. Out of the three tenses– the past, present, and future– only the present exists. The past and future are conceptions of reality that can only live in our minds. The only thing we can ever be certain about is the present moment. It’s also the only thing we can control. We cannot go back and change the past; it’s inefficient to ruminate on it. We also have no way of knowing what the future holds and thus we have no way of controlling it. Yes, we can control what we do in the now and this can help us in the future, but why spend all of our time thinking about events that have not even come into existence yet?

The past and future can be used as helpful tools. Memories that bring us joy can be used as positive reinforcement and those reflecting hardship or failure can be learned from for self-improvement. Yet dwelling on painful memories becomes unhealthy as does becoming attached to “what was” or what’s commonly referred to as “living in the past.” Similarly, planning ahead can set us up for success and help us achieve our goals. Thinking about future events can generate feelings of excitement and anticipation which can fuel our motivation and uplift us. But again, too much preparation or future-thinking becomes destructive: it disconnects us from ourselves and our lives.

To an extent, we can use our pasts and futures to help us progress, but the majority of our time should be spent in the now. The rule is simple: be present. Yet it's one of the most difficult ones for me to implement. I’ve recently begun to meditate daily as a tool to help follow this rule. I also do yoga and journal, and in general, I try to be more attentive to what’s going on and savor experiences as they’re happening. It's been a slow, day-by-day process, but it's one that's essential for living a high-quality life. For working towards grounding ourselves to be in the here and now allows us to fully take advantage of our lives. The present is the only thing we really have.

To summarize:

• Some math:

  • If a moment has a greater mass, it will generate more momentum.

  • To increase a moment's mass, we need to be present.

  • Thus, by living in the now, we are able to give ourselves more power in the future.

• Out of the past, present, and future, only the present exists. It is also the only thing we can control.

• We can use the past and future as helpful tools but only to an extent before it takes away from our current realities.

• Tools like meditation, yoga, and journaling can help us be more present.