How Much Future Is Too Much Future?
I've been thinking a lot about presence lately. About being here, now, in this moment instead of mentally living three steps ahead. And honestly? It's something I struggle with.
I'm running one business, building a second, trying to be present in my relationships, take care of my body, show up for clients, write these newsletters... and my brain loves a plan. Loves structure. Loves knowing where things are going.
But here's what I keep bumping up against: how much thinking about the future is enough, and how much is too much?
The Presence Paradox
We're told to be present. Live in the now. Don't worry about tomorrow. Be here. And yes—there's so much truth in that. When we're constantly future-tripping, we miss what's actually happening right in front of us. We're here, but we're not really here.
But then... we also live in a world where we need to plan. To think ahead. To have some idea of where we're going. We can't just float through life completely untethered from the future.
So where's the balance?
Sometimes when I'm working on Baseline, I catch myself worrying: Am I thinking about the future enough? Should I be planning more? What if I'm missing something by being too present?
And then in my relationships, the same thing happens in reverse: Shouldn't I know where this is going? Shouldn't we be talking about the future? But also... why do I need to know? Why can't I just be here and see what unfolds?
The truth is, we can't control the future. But doing too much future-tripping takes us away from actually living.
What Your Nervous System Knows
Your nervous system knows the difference. When you're constantly thinking about the future, your nervous system can't fully be present. Think about what happens in your body when you're worrying about tomorrow, next week, next year. Your shoulders tense. Your breathing gets shallow. You're not really here—you're mentally somewhere else, trying to manage something that hasn't happened yet.
And when your nervous system is activated by future concerns, you lose access to the parts of your brain that allow for creativity, presence, and connection. You can't be creative when you're anxious about what's coming. You can't be fully present with someone when you're mentally planning three conversations ahead. You can't be grounded when you're trying to control outcomes you have no control over.
Your nervous system needs you to be here now to actually function at its best.
The Answer Isn't Either/Or
For me, it's not choosing between presence and planning. It's creating structure around both. My mind loves a plan. Loves thinking things through. And fighting that just makes it worse—trying to force myself to "just be present" when my brain wants to plan creates more tension, not less.
So instead, I'm trying this: giving my future-thinking brain designated time and space, and then parking it.
What that looks like:
Setting aside specific time to think about the future—whether that's worries, big dreams, goals, plans, whatever my brain needs to process
Being really intentional during that time. Not scrolling, not half-thinking about it while doing something else. Actually sitting with it
And then... parking it. Trusting that I've thought about what I need to think about, and I can let it go for now
Taking aligned action in the present without gripping too tightly to how it all has to unfold
It's not about never thinking about the future. It's about not living there.
The Questions That Help
Am I thinking about this because it needs attention, or because I'm anxious?
There's a difference between productive planning and anxious spinning. One moves you forward. One just activates your nervous system.
What can I actually do about this right now?
If there's action to take, take it. If there's not, why am I holding onto it?
Am I present with what's actually here?
Not what might be here tomorrow or next week. What's here now?
What does my body need right now to feel grounded?
Not what my mind thinks I need to figure out. What my body needs to settle.
What I'm Learning
Presence doesn't mean never thinking about the future. It means not abandoning the present to live in a future that doesn't exist yet.
My brain can have its planning time, and that actually helps me be more present the rest of the time because I'm not constantly trying to suppress the urge to think ahead.
In relationships, work, life—the more I try to control the future, the less I'm actually here to experience what's unfolding.
And being regulated isn't about eliminating thoughts about the future. It's about not letting those thoughts hijack your nervous system so completely that you lose access to the present.
This is exactly what Baseline is for—helping you come back to now when your mind is spiraling about the future. Quick resets to get your nervous system regulated so you can actually be here. We're getting ready to officially launch soon, and I'd love for you to be part of it from the beginning.
If you'd like to work on this in 2026—finding the balance between planning and presence, understanding your patterns, regulating your nervous system—my 1:1 therapy waitlist for 2026 is open. I'd love to hear from you to chat about what working together could look like.