Near Future

All hardships pass. It can be helpful to remember that nothing lasts forever. And I mean really remember, by putting a time on it.

This is a technique I’ve used my whole life. Whenever I was suffering, physically or emotionally, I would stop and think about when that suffering would end. If you don’t stop to think about it, it’s easy to just feel like the pain will last forever, but it won’t!

If you break your leg, you’re probably in a lot of pain. Then you might also feel depressed because of limited ability, and all sorts of spiraling can happen from there. So look at a calendar. Say, “The doctor says I’ll be out of the cast in four weeks, and then need about four more weeks of light therapy to get back to full strength, so on July 15th, all this will be behind me.” July 15th (or whenever it is) isn’t that far away!

If you’re stressed because you’re a new parent, know that the “struggle years” are few, and before you know it you’ll be longing for the days when they woke you up in the middle of the night because they had a bad dream. If you’re frustrated with the job hunt, know that statistically, it won’t be more than a few months, and even the hardest are rarely more than a year. If you’re sick, ask your doctor how long symptoms usually last, rather than wallowing in the pain of today.

Live in the moment when the moment is good. When the present is painful, the future isn’t far away.