How we envision the future depends on how we feel about ourselves.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. In 2020, it’s been challenging to imagine our future. When will the COVID-19 epidemic subside? How will we resolve issues of racial injustice? When will employment and the economy get back on track? How can we heal the political divide? Will we ever return to what we thought of as normal? If not, what will the new normal look like?
At a personal level, we have larger concerns as well. Some of us have been ill or have someone close to us affected by COVID. Some of us have lost jobs or may be struggling financially. Many of us have seen the epidemic change our family and social interactions. This has caused mental and emotional strain. Most of us feel stressed on a number of fronts. Imagining a good future may feel impossible.
In our lives, the single most important determinant of what our future will be like is us. We hold the vision for what we want it to be. We make the decisions about what actions we will or won’t take. We choose how to perceive life events, especially those outside our control. No one holds more influence over our future than we do.
Today’s message reminds me to examine how I feel about myself if I am tempted to view the future bleakly. Do I trust that I can make sound, healthy decisions for myself? Do I have confidence in my inner strength and ability to find joy and do well in any circumstances? Am I certain of my interconnection in divinity and the clarity it lends to my perception of life?
When I feel good about myself, I can be sure that I will find a way to have a good life no matter what. The most important contribution I can make to the future is belief and trust in myself right now.
How about you? How do you see yourself and your future?