Does “For Now” Have to Mean Forever? How to Avoid Settling for Less

Last Saturday night, my husband Jeff and I were sitting together in our living room browsing through online stores. We had just finished something unusual for us—we gave our house a makeover.

After twenty-four years with the same carpet, the same paint, and basically the same furniture, we finally pulled everything out, had the walls repainted, and new flooring installed.

For us, this is monumental. We’re the type of people who placed a chair in the corner in 2001 and never moved it again.

But after the last painter and floor installer left last week, we were left sitting in a house open to new ideas—a blank canvas waiting to be drawn upon.

The focus of our web browsing that night was this: should we replace our little table in the foyer?

The table is still functional, but barely. The top is warped, water-stained, and just isn’t us anymore.

Yet after coming up empty in our search for a replacement, I said the words that made me cringe even as they slipped out:

“Maybe, for now, we should just put the old table back.”

It’s a phrase I’ve been using too often during this house renovation.

• For now, let’s put the rocking chair back where it was.
• For now, let’s shelve the books and I’ll sort through them later.
• For now, let’s put things back where they’ve always been so the house looks together again.

But here’s the problem I’ve learned about myself: for now often turns into forever.

Why “For Now” Feels So Tempting

“For now” is comforting. It’s easy. It spares us from making a choice when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or unsure. It’s comforting to stay with the status quo instead of questioning whether the old ways are still serving us.

“For now” choices can sneak into all areas of life, like:

• Staying in a job you’ve outgrown because it’s easier than searching for a new one
• Keeping habits that no longer work because you don’t want to think about them
• Avoiding a hard conversations by telling yourself you’ll get to it later

How often does just “for now” quietly stretch into months . . . or even years?

When “For Now” Becomes a Roadblock

To be fair, “for now” isn’t always bad.

Sometimes it’s necessary—it keeps us moving through the day. When you’re running late for an appointment, now might not be the time to experiment with a new commute. Sometimes you’ve got to stick with what you know works, even if it’s not optimal for the long-term.

But other times, “for now” is an excuse—a way of delaying the harder but more meaningful work of creating something different.

That Saturday night, I caught myself saying “for now” and changed it instead to a “no.” No, we won’t put the table back. We’ll keep looking for something different.

Maybe it is worth sitting with the discomfort of an empty foyer a little longer, instead of rushing to fill it with the same old table.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself

I’ve been experimenting with asking myself better questions this week:

1. When you want to put something back “for now,” are you simply procrastinating about making a better decision?
2. Can you sit with uncertainty a few more days and do it right instead of falling back too quickly into your comfort zone?
3. Instead of restoring things the way they were, what do you really want this space—or this season of life—to look like?

It’s taking more effort. It’s slower. And honestly, I don’t like the process in the moment.

But I’m loving the results it’s bringing so far.

• As I unpack my books, I’m making a conscious decision on each one: keep or donate. (I’m proud to report my donation box is huge!)
• I’m resisting dragging the laundry room clutter back into the house until I decide what can be eliminated.
• And not a single picture has gone back on the wall yet—I want to develop a more unified plan before I start hammering new holes (although this is a whole separate problem that may paralyze me forever . . . send help!).

And the Foyer Table . . .

Well, I hate to tell you: the sad little table is actually back in the foyer—for now. I needed a temporary spot to hold some return packages and it was too convenient to not place it back by the front door.

But this time, I truly mean it is just “for now,” not forever—I promise!

A Question for You:

Do you have a junk drawer or closet where you shove things “for now,” even if they don’t really belong there? What would it look like to reclaim that space instead of settling?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Read more:

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• Throw Your Rock in the Water: How Small Actions Create Big Ripples
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