From Now to Next: The Mediating Role of Future Time Orientation on the Association Between Mindfulness and Life Projects

Mindfulness is commonly described as a present-focused capacity, yet its role in shaping future-oriented functioning remains underexplored. This study tested a structural equation model in which future time orientation (FTO) statistically accounted for the association between mindfulness and life projects (LP). A final sample of 205 Italian adults (Mage = 28.39, SD = 8.06) completed the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale–Revised (CAMS-R), the Future Time Orientation Scale (FTOS), and the Life Project Scale (LPS). Confirmatory factor analyses supported the measurement models of the constructs. Mindfulness was positively associated with both FTO dimensions—impact and distance—and both dimensions were positively associated with life-project dimensions, although significant indirect associations emerged only through impact. In particular, indirect effects through distance were small and not statistically significant. These findings suggest that present-moment awareness may be associated with adaptive prospection by helping individuals connect current experience with meaningful future direction and goal engagement. Mindfulness thus appears to function not only as a present-oriented capacity but also as a psychological resource linked to future-oriented processes.