Stepping into the new year, I’ve found myself, like many others, reflecting on the former chapters of life and thinking forth to the pages that lie in wait. The last book, 2024, was a curious tale. There were many twists and turns, in the world and in my own life. There were lessons learned and stories unfolded. Now, there’s 2025, 2026 and so on. Graduation will come at a moment’s notice, and graduate school will follow suit. Then my career and then my life?

In my thinking, I caught myself in a dangerous trap. I call it “the temporal delusion”: the act of dwelling too much on the past that you break your neck trying to look 180 degrees, or looking too far forward into the future that you’re trying to sculpt your life with clay that doesn’t yet exist. I’ve found that this “temporal delusion” comes from a lack of mindfulness and is only a loan for stress — a loan you will pay back with much-accrued interest. 

This piece is not anti-reflection or planning by any means! Those things are essential to learn and to take hold of what is to come. But your past and your future are helpful in as much as you learn from them for present application. So, what practical benefits does present mindfulness have to one’s life?

Studies suggest focusing on the present will have positive impacts on both our mental and physical well-being. It is a helpful way to combat daily stressors and help individuals stay more grounded in navigating life. 

There are multiple strategies for being present, but I practice this by meditating on God. My meditation doesn’t have to be formal. I simply remind myself of God’s presence in my life. Psalm 46, a famous song in the Bible, speaks about God’s protection over His people. Verse 10 of this song says this: “Be still, and know that I am God…” When recognizing the dangers of “temporal delusion,” I bring myself back to this verse. I become still; I rest in God’s presence, knowing I am with Him.