The Things We Put Ourselves Through

First published on March 3, 2017

We put ourselves through things, don't we? We sacrifice energy or time from the future for the present: doing things we know will make tomorrow that little bit harder, whether that thing is drinking wine, or staying up later than we should, or even drinking coffee, knowing the caffeine crash will follow. 

And we save our energy or our happiness up for the future, too. Working ourselves to the bone now so that in the future, at some point, we can finally relax, we can get what we want. 

And we know these days, or at least we are told from many angles, that living in the present moment will help us with anxiety, with stress, and with pretty much everything. 

So why is it that we put ourselves through pain today, for space tomorrow, or through a rush of energy today, knowing the pain will come tomorrow? 

Well I think it's because we know, instinctively, the path for ourselves. Most of us aren't Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, living in the moment every moment. But neither are we a hedonistic seventies rock star, wrecking all our tomorrows in pursuit of just one more moment of that feeling. And neither are we the apocryphal corporate stooge, having their back broken by an awful employer, dreaming of retirement. 

Most of us know there is a balance, and we try and find it. We know the joy of an evening of four glasses of wine, and we know that even though tomorrow will be harder, it is worth it. And we know that sometimes you do have to set an intention for the future, and work towards it, and that is worth it. And we know that to try and live in the moment is a powerful thing, that enjoying where we are is a part of almost every successful journey. 

And we strive for that balance. The right one for us. We strive for it. To enjoy the moment, to take advantage of the amazing things that the 21st Century offers, which aren't always good for us, and to transform our life into what we want. 

We do put ourselves through things. It's not always easy. But we strive for it.