Living in the Moment: Building a Future You’ll Thank Yourself For

By Chris Tipping, Marketing Director at The DM Lab

As business leaders, we’re often focused on the future, goal-setting, and what lies ahead. This is necessary, of course, for personal and professional growth. But in the chase for tomorrow, it’s easy to forget about today. Living in the present, right here and now, can create a foundation that your future self will be grateful for.

In my younger days – especially the wild 90s – I was all about living in the moment, chasing good times with every bit of abandon you can imagine. It was an era of adventure and, let’s say, exploration, but not necessarily one that was setting me up for a better future. My teens and early 20s were spent with a cigarette in hand, a drink nearby, and other vices along for the ride. I was very much in the moment, but not in a way that my future self would look back on and thank me for.

My wake-up call came watching my dad – my hero – battle addiction. He went down a hard road with alcohol and prescription medications, a journey that took a lot out of him. But he turned things around and became completely teetotal, helping to set an example that left a huge impact on me. I knew then that my current path, though full of “moments,” wasn’t sustainable, and it wasn’t leading me anywhere meaningful.

Redefining What It Means to Live in the Moment

Fast forward to now, at 43, and I’m seeing the benefits of having made a change. Living in the moment today means something very different than it did back then. Now, it’s about taking care of my well-being, investing in my health, and doing things that contribute to my longevity – things I know my future self will appreciate.

My routines now include shots of apple cider vinegar (Willy’s, if you’re curious!), natural supplements, and even mushrooms – though not the 90s kind! I work out five or six days a week, and it’s during those sessions that I feel truly present, inspired, and productive. It’s often in those training moments that new ideas come, problems get solved, and clarity emerges. In fact, it was during a Level 2 workout this morning that sparked the idea for this very article.

Embracing the Present with Purpose

There’s a lot in life that we can’t control, and that’s fine. We’re not meant to. But we can choose how we approach each day and how we build our own foundation for tomorrow. Instead of living recklessly in the present, we can live intentionally in the present. Each moment holds potential – for growth, fulfilment, and those “f**k yeah” moments we all crave. But you can’t create those moments if you’re not open to them or present enough to see them.

Creating Your Own “F**k Yeah” Moments

One thing I actively look for now are those genuine “f**k yeah” moments. They’re the experiences that make you stop, take it all in, and realise that, right here and now, life is exactly where it should be. These moments can’t be planned for the future or held off for “someday.” They’re about appreciating what’s here now – in the middle of a workout, a family gathering, or a quiet morning routine.

If you want a future that you’ll thank yourself for, you have to ask: What will be your “f**k yeah” moment today? Not tomorrow, not five years from now, but right here, right now.

In Closing: Being Here, Now

Living in the present, with intention, is about finding fulfilment in who you are today and taking steps that will benefit the person you’ll be tomorrow. Success isn’t just a future destination; it’s made up of moments where we’re fully engaged, growing, and living life meaningfully.

So here’s to today – the only time we truly have. Make it count, and make it something that your future self will look back on and say, “f**k yeah.”

#LiveInTheMoment #MindfulLiving #Wellbeing #BePresent #FutureSelf #F**kYeahMoments