Don't Project!

This is a handy little reminder to myself, not to be wasting my precious life always peering into the possibilities of the future.

I could die today - would I have wanted to spend my last day on earth worrying about what might happen six months from now? When I go back and revisit some of my biggest worries, they didn't come to pass. I've spent hours of my life in anxious dread because of my imaginings.

My first sponsor once asked: "Why is it that your thoughts of the future never seem to be positive anticipation?" She suggested that when I caught myself worrying about the future, I make a concerted effort to decide instead, that the best of all possible outcomes was equally as likely, and because of that, there was no point in me even considering anything that wasn't happening right now.

I pass this wisdom to my sponsees, saying, "Don't project! Stay in the moment. Life your life as it is happening, don't ignore your real life, in favour of what may never occur."

"If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today." ~E. Joseph Cossman

This day is my only concern. I can manage this day. If I'm finding it difficult, I can break it down into smaller increments, rather than strive to deal with it in its entirety. I can rest assured that I am safe, comfortable, and if I allow myself to be - happy.

Worrying for the future may give me the misconception of preparedness, but it's an illusion - so if I do this, I am using worry over an imagining, to sustain an illusion of control.

Circular reasoning; perfect insanity.