Getting the balance right

With all this planning for semi-retirement its easy to fall into the trap of living for tomorrow rather than being in the here and now.

Its good to plan, but we don’t want to make the mistake of missing out on the present moment because we are thinking too much about our future goals. This can result in us missing out on enjoying life now, as we tell ourselves we will be happy once: I reach financial independence/can semi-retire FIRE/win the lottery (insert as applicable.)

So how can you stop yourself falling into this trap?

Well one way I have learnt to develop a better balance between planning for the future and living in the present is by Mindfulness Meditation. It is an excellent way of developing the habit of observing when your mind has wandered into all the future plans or worries and gently guiding it back to the present moment.

Its a skill and habit that needs to be cultivated by regular practice, but will benefit you in all areas of life.

A book I would recommend as a good starting point is Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Penman and Williams. It explains why Meditation and Mindfulness is so beneficial citing many scientific studies as evidence. There are weekly practices to follow that are all simple and short, to get into this life changing habit.

However, there are also lots of free resources on the internet and different meditation practices to download and follow. Or you can simply set aside a few minutes a day to sit in silence and follow your breath mindfully.

If you find yourself constantly thinking about the future and ignoring your present then I definitely recommend giving mindfulness meditation a try. I began the practice many years ago, and even though I don’t do it daily I still reap the benefits. It helps me not to focus too much on the semi-retire goal.

Let me know if you have tried meditation or if you have any other techniques to help stay in the here and now rather than focussing on the future too much.