Why do we rush?
Some responses may include running late to an event; not being as successful as you thought you would be; feeling as though you’re missing out on something.
Ultimately, the main answer is this – we rush because we feel like time is running out.
But something I realised today is that this response is paradoxical.
We rush because we feel time is running out to live. To experience all the wonders of life.
I have personally fallen for the trap that in order to experience life as much as possible, I need to make money, and a lot of it. Having money opens the door to experiencing more. Traveling the world, having a beautiful home, buying expensive clothes, more connections, extravagant events. And whilst this is true, and I believe you should strive to have access to those experiences – I also know that rushing is not the right response.
We think that by rushing to get there, we will finally be able to live. But this is where the paradox lies. We rush to live because we are afraid of time running out. Yet when we rush, we forget to focus on the time we do have because we are so busy focusing on the time we don’t have.
By rushing to live, you end up focusing on the future as opposed to the present moment. Living means being present, regardless of your environment. It means embracing where you are right now, not rushing to get to where you should be.
If the ultimate goal is to live, then why not choose to enjoy the present moment?
Write a list of your goals; have a specific vision of the life you want to have; work hard, sure!
But do not do all of this with an underlying fear that time is running out.
I came across a video recently of a woman talking about what she regrets most about her youth. She said “wasting time worrying about the future”. She wished that her younger self would have been more present.
Why? Because the time passed anyway. The time passed, and now she is older and cannot get those years back.
Being in the present moment means trusting that the answers will find you when they’re ready to be found. It means enjoying the life you have now. It means living. And you cannot truly live without being present.
And that is the ultimate goal, isn’t it? To live?
So, what are you waiting for? Stop worrying about the future, and start living in the present.
As always, please touch some grass.
AbbieJean