Monday, November 11, 2013

Overcoming the "I'll be happy when..." attitude

I've been really busy lately. I know I'm not the only one, because I've been noticing a lot of other people talk about how stressed they are with school, work and various deadlines. Recently I've heard a lot of people say things like, "I just need to make it through this week and I'll be happy," or "I'll feel so much better once I finish this." I'm often guilty of feeling this way too, but I'm starting to see a problem with this "I'll be happy when..." attitude. Once you get in this cycle it never really ends. You'll make it through your busy week and then a new project with tight deadlines will be thrown at you, and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

As a college student, it's easy for me to get wrapped up in thoughts of the future. I look forward to finishing big projects, to holiday breaks from classes, and too often, to life after graduation. The problem with these thoughts is that I'm completely robbing myself of today's joy, today's lessons and today's blessings. When I think about it, I've wished big chunks of my life away by saying, "I'll be so much happier when this is over." 

Some days I feel like my life really hasn't started yet - like it will when I graduate, when I get a grown-up job or when I get married and start a family. Isn't it sad that I spend so many of my days wishing I could fast forward? I know this is not how God intended me to live, so why is it so hard for me to focus on being completely satisfied with where I'm at and what I'm doing today? Life is happening right now; am I missing it?

I'm confident that big things are ahead of me, even if I don't know exactly what they are yet (Jeremiah 29:11). But to overcome the thievery of an I'll-be-happy-when attitude, I think it's also important to be confident of the big things that are in store for me today.

Today I'm going to focus on present blessings rather than future anxieties. I'm going to make a conscious effort to find reasons to be happy today, now, in the moment. I hope you do too!


Food for thought: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

3 comments:

  1. I am very guilty of the "I'll be happy when..." attitude. It can be hard to focus on the positive things about today when there's a big project or test in the near future. I think I worry a lot more about what's coming up instead of living in the moment. Lately, I have tried to enjoy the present more. Hopefully, as I do this more often, it will become easier to do

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  2. Katee-You have made my day and brought a new perspective. Thank you for your wisdom!

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  3. I so enjoyed reading your perspective on what we humans seem to spend a lot of effort trying to get things done for some potential end game. What you've realized at a much younger age then I, is Yesterday is done, Tomorrow is always the next day, Only today brings us The Days good and Bad, but most of all some peace that its been your Day to do with what you will.........

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