Focused on the Future a Little Too Much

The future is a nasty chick who always wants my attention. Focus on me, she says. I'm better than you! Well, I've devised a way to put her in her place. Yeah, that's right. She won't even know what hit her. It's called...

The Present is So Now Right Now.

how to enjoy life when all you want to do is fast-forward 5 months

1. Take pictures. This is a way of saying to yourself, I'm going to remember these days when I was frustrated and impatient and think, "wow, those were some good times." I know I'll look back on this stage in my life with a ton of fondness. So yesterday during my morning and evening commute I took photos. Why? My commute is soooo amazing. It's a long drive but it's also a rare drive and I'm going to miss it someday. Photos below.


2. Focus on the positive of your current stage in life. It's likely there are lots of positive things about this stage in your life (see 10 Reasons I'm Glad We Don't Have Kids Right Now.) Stop and smell the roses, literally and figuratively. Or how about making a list of the top 10 things you love about these moments?
   
   My list:
   • game night with friends
   • Saturday shopping trips
   • watching my husband become an amazing therapist
   • teaching Daisy new tricks
   • my pretty nice job
   • summer fairs & rodeos
   I never was good at counting.


3. Busy thyself. Putting your energy into something positive or creative is always a good way to spend time, but I think it especially helps when you're in a state of transition. You could:
   • Write a blog (preferably not about the future and things you can't do yet. Oh, crap.)
   • Volunteer
   • Take weekend trips. Find a fun activity, or wander around aimlessly until you discover a park or restaurant that you like.
   • Find a hobby. Me, I like to make chapstick. I did a lot of research and created my own recipe, bought and ordered ingredients and empty tubes, even designed a label. All of that took lots of time. Now it only takes me about 15 minutes to create a new tube of it. That's not distracting enough. My advice: find a hobby that will fill your time a little more consistently. I've heard scrapbooking is pretty addictive.


4. Go on long walks. I love that Daisy gives us an excuse to take 2 walks a day. This means Ryan and I usually spend about half-an-hour a day talking about how we're doing, observing the delights of nature, and making fun of the neighbors. (Like our new-age neighbor lady who doesn't jog. She skips.)


5. Get into a routine. I think this helps time go by faster for me. That being said, it's probably only a good idea if you have a nice routine. You'll have plenty of time to rush around in a panic once you're a soccer mom.


6. Keep a private journal. This is definitely a good way to put your life in perspective. It will also help you de-stress after a long day. Plus, you can keep track of who has a crush on who.


7. Pray about the present. If you're a praying person, and you're like me, you find it really easy to pray about the unknown and for God to allow everything to fall into place. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that sometimes I have to remind myself to include what's happening right now with my friends, family, and church.

My Awesome Commuting Pics

Note: pictures taken without looking, so as not to cause traffic hazard.

Fun Journals

The journals section on Etsy ~ "unique, handmade journals from our artisan community"

Paper Posey ~ "Journals, organizers and whatnot"

FredFlare.com journals ~ "stay cute"

Barnes & Noble ~ basic journals • handmade journals • specialty journals • inspirational journals