Ever since graduating from college, I’ve always seemed fixated on the future. Everything has been about where I’m going next, what goals I’m going to accomplish, what meaning I’ll find just around the corner. I’ve always wanted to live in the present, but my future always needs TLC. I adjust my budget, make predictions, run various scenarios. If I want to travel the world, for example, there’s going to be a tremendous amount of planning involved. So I’ll rapidly fire off some questions in my head:
- How will I support myself (and my soon-to-be-wife) abroad?
- How will taxes work? Mail? Visas? Passports?
- Where do I want to go? Where is a good starting point?
- Is this what I want? Is this what my fiance wants?
It goes on and on like this for awhile till I scribble down my thoughts and file them away with the other lists I may or may not ever reference again. Even as I happilly plug away at my day job and freelance by night, ever building an advancing (and time consuming) portfolio of income, I’m constantly looking for ways to expand. Growth at any cost, it seems like, but that’s not where I should be.
So to remedy that I’ve been indulding myself in some fun spring activities. I’ve signed up for archery lessons, will be helping my brother establish bee hives at a nearby friend’s house, and playing paintball next month. I’m happy with the pace I have going so far, and should focus more on having fun in the present while still keeping an eye on my overaching goals.
Perhaps in the end I’m being irrational. Forsaking all else in the name of financial security probably isn’t the best idea I’ve ever had