How Your Future Self Can Help You Change Today

Your identity shapes your life.

Photo by Teslariu Mihai on Unsplash

Change

It is no news to anyone that changing ourselves is one of the most challenging assignments out there.

Changing your thoughts and beliefs, changing your habits, requires true willpower, dedication, and commitment. And more often than not, you fail. How many times have you announced your New Year goals and promises, only to wake up on the 3rd of March and realize that you haven’t gone that far?

How many times have you signed up for the gym, committed to cutting alcohol consumption, increasing your vegetable intake, reducing screaming at your kids, skipping frappuccinos, and putting some money into your savings account on time? If you are anything like me, then you can probably relate to that. Maybe our goals differ, but you get the point!

We fail because we are comfortable with who we are. Or at least, we are more comfortable with who we are than with who we could become.

Identity

Your identity is who you believe and think you are. It is the concept of you that has been developing and evolving over the course of your life. It is shaped by your past experiences and interactions.

So if you believe that you are somebody who always fails to exercise, because until now this has happened often, it is very likely that setting up a proper exercise routine will not be an easy task for you.

You might sign up, start showing up, and then the usual happens. You lose consistency, life happens, you start showing up less, and before you know it, you are sponsoring the costs of yet another gym. [I mean, that one is very relatable for me because I have sponsored most Lisbon gyms over the last 20 years… until I changed.]

Your Future Self

There is a lot of stuff out there speaking about your future self. I know, it can be kind of confusing. At least it was for me.

What do you mean by “future self”? Why is this relevant? How can this help me today? These questions naturally popped up in my mind at the beginning of my coaching journey.

So let’s make it clear: Your Future Self (sometimes also called Your Best Self or Your Highest Self) is the version of you that you aspire to become.

It is the part of you that already knows what you are capable of, that lives aligned with your values, and that navigates life with clarity, confidence, authenticity, and conviction.

Your Future Self does not erase who you are today. (S)he is already within you, waiting to be nurtured, strengthened, and trusted. It is not about “becoming someone else,” but more about becoming who you truly are. It is about letting go of what does not serve you, of what is not you, and it is about being courageous enough to step into who you are at your core.

Embodying Your Future Self & Change

So how will your future self help you carry out changes? The answer is simple: it all comes down to creating or embodying a new identity, a new version of yourself.

Once you get clear about who you want to become and what the best version of yourself looks like, thinks like, and feels like, then you set out on a journey of becoming her/him.

It is that future vision of yourself that you will start using to support your thoughts, beliefs, and decisions today. By embodying Your Future Self, tiny little step at a time, you are bringing that version of you closer to yourself… until the two of you merge. Until you are that version of yourself.

How Does This Really Work?

What we believe about ourselves feels true. Our beliefs are not necessarily facts or even fully accurate, but they are our truth. So when we change our belief about ourselves, when we open up the possibility of becoming someone different, someone better, our beliefs will begin to shift as well.

Neuroscience calls the brain’s ability to change and form new neural pathways “neuroplasticity.” This means that when we create a new vision for ourselves and intentionally practice new ways of thinking and seeing the world, these patterns can become stronger over time. With consistent practice, they gradually become the new normal, shaping how we think, feel, and act.

Of course, it is not enough to write your vision down once and then move on, being and doing the usual stuff. You do have to invest your time into this process of becoming.

Photo by Alireza Skndari on Unsplash

So how does this really work? Well, one example I can give is that I have personally used this to motivate myself to become a healthier version of myself. My Future Self happens to be a healthy woman. With the goal of embodying her and becoming her, I embarked on a journey of regular exercise. For the past nine months, I have shown up for Pilates practice about three times per week. Whenever I hesitate, I check back with her (with my Future Self!).

This also works wonderfully when it comes to making decisions and taking action. In case of doubt, I ask myself, “What would SHE do?” And because I have a vision of how she shows up in life, I know what she would do.

Little by little, step by step, day by day, she and I are merging.

What about you?

Do you know who Your Future Self is?

Who is (s)he? What does (s)he believe?

What does (s)he do?

How can (s)he support you today?

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