Hello! *grumbles under

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Hello! *grumbles under

Hello! *grumbles under breath about personal bad habit of starting threads with greetings*

So, some of you might have noticed that there's a pretty inconsistent part of myself, that being my age on the CB. It's always my real age, but presented in different ways. When I was eleven, I was simply 11, or had a countdown to my birthday there. When I was twelve, I was 12!!!!!!. When I was thirteen, I decided to be mock-edgy and ended it with elipses.

However, I've been considering doing something actually consistent, mixed with a bit of a question.

What if, every year, I displayed the age I was going to be instead of the age I actually was? For example, this year I would be "to-be 15". 

However, boring topic aside, this does raise a pretty interesting question I wanted to share.

Is it healthy for someone to always look to the future? Instead of thinking about who they are in the present, is it good for them to think about what they will be instead?

Or is it better for someone to focus on what they are currently instead, so they can focus on what's at hand and cross that bridge when they come to it?

Does the future bring more worry, or more excitement? 

...Sorry, I know this came out of nowhere, but I wanted to share those questions with y'all. Anyone have an opinion on it at all?

submitted by Icy, age Changing, The Forest
(March 16, 2019 - 2:26 pm)

back to the Inkwell

I think you can do whatever you want, but for me personally I prefer to stay in the present and the best parts of the past. After all, the future is not mine to plan.

submitted by Rogue Wildling
(March 16, 2019 - 3:18 pm)

mhm

submitted by Rob B., age 11, This dimension
(March 17, 2019 - 3:36 pm)
submitted by Top!
(March 16, 2019 - 4:37 pm)

Why not? If you believe life has a point, then you're always going forward, looking ahead to some goal. For me, I'm always trying trying to make other's lives better, so I work every day for that.

Also, you can believe in the future while staying in the present. Looking ahead doesn't mean perpetually living in imagination, out of touch with the now. It means recognizing that the present is the moment to act, connected to current life and acting in it for your dream future. 

I guess you need a good sense of both.  

Really, your opinion of the future is connected to your opinion of life. You need optimism that wherever you are now, it can change for the better.  Otherwise, you're stuck in a present that doesn't really matter, scared to look forward because deep down you believe that it'll all be the same and you don't want to face that, so you distract yourself with the present moment. 

Wow that got deep...  :)

I really tend to get lost in imagination, I kinda got to remind myself that the present matters.  

Hope this is what you wanted! I'd like to hear your opinion on the future after other people respond too. 

submitted by Passing through, advising thoughts
(March 16, 2019 - 6:21 pm)

Honestly? I don't like to think about the future. The far future, anyway. I hate the idea of growing up, of things changing. It may sound weird or, I don't know, lame somehow, but it's true. It scares me...a lot. It's just confusing and scary and quite overwhelming to think about...so I don't like to. The future definitely brings more worry for me, by far. 

submitted by Leeli
(March 16, 2019 - 6:33 pm)

Relatable.

submitted by Rogue Wildling
(March 16, 2019 - 8:36 pm)

Looking to the future and seeing thing how they could be is very valuable. If you want to change something, you have to think of the way you want it to be in the future. But then it is also good to be realistic and see things how they are, too. You can't ignore reality. So I guess its kind of a balance. If the future bring worry or excitement, I guess thats how each person sees it and probably depends a lot. I think its both for a lot of people.
Interesting topic, Icy!

submitted by Dandelion
(March 16, 2019 - 7:38 pm)

I think yes, you should be looking ahead and planning for the future. In the Marshmallow Test, researchers made a four or five year old child sit alone in a room with a marshmallow. They offered the child a deal: they could eat the marshmallow now, or, they could wait 20 minutes and get another marshmallow. The children who waited tended to do better in school and had higher standardized test scores, so yes, it has been proven (although the proof is arguable) that people who look ahead and plan for the future can be more successful.

My captcha (I haven't named it yet) said egfh. Wow, it's almost like it knows the alphabet! 

submitted by Summer, age pi, Nowhere at all
(March 16, 2019 - 10:26 pm)

You should name your CAPTCHA Winter or Autumn! XP

submitted by Rogue Wildling
(March 17, 2019 - 1:15 am)

Haha, yeah! But Winter might be a bit confusing, because of Agent Winter. I like Autumn, though!

Hmm, and I could have an AE named Spring... 

submitted by Summer, age pi, Nowhere at all
(March 17, 2019 - 6:51 pm)

You could have three AEs Spring, Autumn and Frost! (Since confusing double winter phenaminan) :P

submitted by Tyberious Firestone, age Cosmos duh, Cosmos
(March 19, 2019 - 3:50 pm)
submitted by ?, age 146 months, Life
(March 19, 2019 - 9:27 pm)

This has been pretty interesting to read through! I'm definitely enjoying reading the answers to this, thanks to everyone who has responded!

After giving it some thought (and looking at this thread), I personally think that how healthy the views on the future and present are depends on the person themselves. It's like the ending to Dear Evan Hansen--who you are and where you are in life reflects your view on it.

I currently have mixed feelings when it comes to this question. Thinking too much about the future can bring anxiety, but it can also bring relief from the present.

So, for now, my age box will be staying the same. 

submitted by Icy, age 14, The Forest
(March 17, 2019 - 3:27 pm)