Scripture (link is external) in the Book of Matthew tells us to be like birds who don’t worry. Worrying cannot add a single hour to our lives. A popular song (link is external) when I was young told us to “live for today and don’t worry ‘bout tomorrow”. Recent research (link is external) shows that mindfulness meditation, which focuses on the present, reduces depression.
But what if the destination is better than the journey? Arriving in Hawaii is much better than the plane trip there. And being in Hawaii is much better than the plane trip back. The plane trips are tolerable only by anticipating being in Hawaii or good memories of being there. Sometimes where you’ve been or where you’re going is better than where you are.
A focus on the present sometimes has negative consequences. In a study (link is external) of over 72,000 social media users, a focus on the present was associated with depression. In contrast, those who focused on the future were less likely to be depressed. If the present is unpleasant, an ability to see past it can be helpful. Eleanor Roosevelt (link is external) said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Research (link is external) shows that focusing on the past can also have mental health benefits. These include recovery from depression and trauma. Analyzing a past problem can provide a perspective on it. As George Santayana (link is external) famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
Not everyone is as focused on the present as people in the United States are. People from East Asia have been found (link is external) to be more focused on the past and future than people in the United States. This is because the past and future provide a context for the present. People in East Asia tend to be more interdependent (link is external) than those in the United States. Relationships are highly valued. So, focusing on the past and future guides one to behave in a way that will maintain relationships.
A key reason that people in the United States are more focused on the present than people in East Asia is that they are also focused on themselves. People in the United States tend to be independent (link is external). They are not as concerned about how their present behavior will affect past or future relationships. But an extreme focus on the self—narcissism—can result in depression for oneself (link is external) and for others (link is external).
A balance between the past, present, and future is needed. And a balance between the self and others. Where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going are all important. And who you’re with.
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