Future Self
Do you ever consult or think about your future self?
The Future Self was a totally new concept to me and through being coached myself I am learning that she is a valuable resource for me now. It seemed strange to me, that I could ask my future self for advice for what I was doing now, but I can, and she’s damn smart!
In all transparency, it wasn’t easy for me to connect with her at first. You know how at work, or even in an interview people ask “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” That question was one of the worst ones for me because I truly didn’t know, I had no connection or even consideration for that person who seemed so far away. In my mind, I just wanted to know what work you needed me to do and I’d make it happen. You tell me who you need me to be and accomplish and I’ll do that. I never considered what I could get out of a job, or any other experience actually, I just wanted to perform, do well and move forward. That worked for me for my entire working “career”. It worked fine until in a 1x1 with my boss, where he asked me “what do YOU want, how would you run the show if you were in charge?” It literally stopped me in my tracks, the question overwhelmed me, he was asking me (without saying it) to connect with my future self and participate in my journey to connect with her.
So friends, what do YOU want?
We have so many choices and if we took the time to play with that concept a little bit, what could you imagine for yourself? You literally could turn away from the life you’ve lived up until this moment and choose something else. In our safe imagination space you could try some new things on regarding how you approach your goals, what you want to wear, how you choose to speak. Everything is available to you if you want to change something. How cool is that!?!? Does is scare you? I can see why it would… what are your friends going to think? Will people laugh at you? Will your family want to keep you in the box you’ve been in all your life? But what really matters, is what you want, it’s your life to design.
When you look at you, what do you like, love, want to keep? What’s missing, what do you want to try on? Who do you want to be tomorrow, in a month, in six months, in a year? Take some time to let your mind explore what YOU want, and open yourself up to trying something different. Is it hard to see? That’s ok, you currently are your future self from a year ago. What did you choose a year ago that made you who you are today? How did you set her up for the success you’re seeing now?
This is why I journal, I have a document to go back to and see what I did in the past to lead me to where I am now. I can see progress, and change, what worked and what I struggled with, to get where I am now. Since learning more about connecting with my future self, I’ve flipped my journaling a bit… I have started to look to my future self to see where to go and to help me make decisions. If I want to be successful in an area of my life a year from now, what do I need to start doing today to support that goal? How can I set her up so well that the future Chris is almost guaranteed success?
Are you connected to your future self?
Get curious, imagine her one year from now.
What is she wearing?
What is she reading?
What are her routines?
How is she fueling her body?
How is she fueling her mind?
What does success look like for her?
Where does she live?
Where does she work?
How much money does she make?
What kind of work is she doing?
How does she play and have fun?
How does she rest?
What is her creative outlet?
What relationships does she have?
What character strengths does she have?
How has she found balance?
Let me know how you’ve connected to your future self, and if you haven’t or struggle to, I can help.
christeen@christeenolsencoaching.com
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Have a great week my friends!
Chris
