Wherever you are right now, I hope that you are safe and happy. You may be a little stressed, and that is understandable, but remember that you always have so much to be grateful for. Anxiety (Stress) is fear, and it comes from focusing too far into the future.

How many times have you been awake, lying in bed at 2am, worrying about something that you think is going to materialise the next day? It could be a conflict at work, a hard conversation you need to have with your partner, or perhaps an unresolved serious business issue that you are worried about...

How many times, after lying in bed stressing through the whole night, have you lived through that moment the next day, and the stressful situation you anticipated actually never played out as you had imagined?

All. The. Time. I know, because I used to do that too. Stressing about the future should only be reserved for those who refuse to take any action in the present. The future does not actually exist. All that exists is the present. Think about it. Can you say with absolute certainty what your future holds for you in the next 21 days? At best, you're making intelligent guesses, but there are so many variables that will play out, most of which are out of your control. What about the next five years of your life? Can you say with absolute certainty how that will end up?

We all dream of our own perfect futures, but the only way to shape the future that you want is through the actions and decisions that you take today. The actions you take in any present moment have the ability to lead you to completely different future situations.

Here's a few practical examples:

• Turn left instead of your usual right turn on your way to work, and you have an accident. New Future.
• Jump to an incorrect conclusion in your mind and speak harshly to a client / partner and it's the final straw that causes the end of a relationship. New Future.
• Rush the signing of a contract for your business without due diligence and you're out of business 6 months later. New Future.
• Skip that prospecting call today, and the friend you were meant to call today, transacts with somebody else tomorrow. New Future.
• Avoid a conversation today because you're worried about the reaction, and a relationship changes forever. New Future.

Your future lies in the present. The best thing you can do for your future (however it might end up) is to focus on the here and now. Make the smartest decisions today, based on your priorities and your values and beliefs, whilst always remembering how your actions might impact on other people, and being aware that you may not be able to control everything that happens around you.

Sounds simple.
The alternative is to lie awake worrying about every negative scenario that may or may not even happen as you imagine it in your mind, and in your state of anxiety you won't make any sensible decisions or take any smart action steps towards actually creating the future you want.

Make sense? 
W: www.grantgavin.com