The “Someday” Syndrome: “I will Start on Monday”
Do you often catch yourself thinking, “Once I finish my tasks, I will finally do what I have been dreaming of”? Do you postpone meetings with friends, hobbies, travels and even simple joys until “better times”? If so, you are not alone. In the modern world, many people live with the feeling that their real life has not begun yet. It is somewhere out there, in the future: when they will have time, money, the right mood, or when all their tasks are done. But this “when” often never comes.
Psychologists note that in recent years this syndrome has become widespread. We live in anticipation of a certain “perfect moment” that never arrives. Social media is partly to blame, showing us pictures of “successful people”, as is the cult of productivity that makes us feel we are always “not good enough to start”.
Why does this happen? There are many reasons. We live in an era where constant busyness and achievement are valued. We have been taught that we must first “fulfill our duties”, and only then can we “enjoy ourselves”. Social media amplifies this feeling: we see others traveling, realizing projects, changing their lives and it seems we are falling behind. Anxiety creeps in: “I am not ready yet”, “I need to achieve more first”. And so, the habit of postponing life for later takes root.
Perfectionism also plays its role. We wait for ideal conditions: for inspiration to strike, for the plan to fall into place, for circumstances to align. But life is not linear. Conditions are rarely ideal; we have to create them ourselves.
How to reclaim the present?
Start small. Do not wait for Monday or the new year. Today, set aside 15 minutes for something that brings you joy: read a chapter of a book, go for a walk in the park, write to someone you care about.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Other people’s lives on social media are just bright fragments, not the full picture. Your path is unique and it does not require endless postponement.
Allow yourself to be imperfect. You can start something even without confidence. You can travel without a perfect itinerary. You can love without being a “finished version of yourself”. Life is made of trials and errors, not grand finales.
Remember: time is the only resource that cannot be replenished. Do not wait for the right moment. It has already arrived. Right now is the very day you can take the first step toward the life you have been putting off for years. Start with something simple. Do today what you have wanted to do for a long time. Your life is already here, not in plans, but in action.
Mira Kadieva
As-Salam writer
