99% of creators would be struck with anxiety and fear for their future if they did this.

3 months ago, I would have been too.

What did I do that’s so unique, so unthinkable to most creators?

I stopped creating.

[Insert shock sound effect] gasp

Most people—even beyond creators—are so fixed on doing that they forget how to be.

We’re all busy thinking about the future, so much so that we forget to enjoy the only thing we truly have: the present moment.

Creators are no different. In fact, being a creator often makes it worse.

We’re stuck in a constant cycle:

• What’s my content direction?
• What will the algorithm do if I stop posting?
• Will my followers forget about me?

That’s exactly why I stopped creating. I needed a mental reset, a way to break out of the anxious overthinking that comes with constantly chasing the next thing.

The Moment That Changed Everything

4 weeks ago, I went on holiday to Australia.

I didn’t want to think about the performance of my content. I didn’t want to wake up every day wondering,"What will I create? What will I tell my friends in my newsletter this week?"

I wanted to live.

To wake up and smell the air. To hear the birds chirping. To absorb that sweet vitamin D from the thing in the sky that is keeping everything alive: the Sun.

And you know what? It was the best holiday I’ve ever had.

It made me realise just how easy it is to get trapped in future thinking and miss the present entirely. Being a creator only amplifies this struggle.

But something changed for me.

The Turning Point

3 months ago is when I came across a quote that shook me to my core:

This simple idea was a wake-up call. I’d been so tired of living with anxious thoughts, always stuck in the past or future, that I was desperate for peace. So I decided to fully embrace the present.

On my holiday, I let go of the habits that forced me into the future. I stopped creating. I stopped worrying. And I just experienced life as it unfolded.

The feeling of bliss, serenity, and joy I discovered was insane—not because it’s rare, but because it’s so easy to access.

The Lesson I Learned

Most people live in the past or the future and think that’s normal. But the truth is, you can only find joy in the present.

Now that I’m back to creating, does this mean I’ll be anxious 24/7 again?

Not at all.

It means I’m now more consciously aware of when I slip into future or past thinking. I know how to use it effectively instead of letting it control me.

The problem with constantly thinking about the past or future is that it exhausts your mind. It’s like doing 100 squats and then trying to sprint up the stairs—your legs are done, and you’re out of balance.

The same thing happens with your thoughts. You can’t effectively solve today’s problems if your mind is stuck in yesterday or tomorrow.

Ask Yourself This

Are you present right now? Or is your mind somewhere else?

Take a moment. Stop what you’re doing. Look around you. What do you see? Find one thing—just one thing—to appreciate.

Because the truth is, happiness isn’t waiting for you in the future or buried in the past.

It’s here, in this moment, if you choose to be.

Thanks for reading

-Jono

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