Article: The Best Person To Give You Advice
There’s great book on my shelf that I recently pulled out to poke through again. It’s called, “Letters to my younger self.” It’s a collection of musings by famous women filled with advice they’d share back to themselves when they were just starting out.
“Your hair matters far, far less than you think.”
"Pay attention to the small moments, they matter most."
"Above all else, take care of you."
When you think about it, it’s pretty easy to reflect and come up with counsel you’d have wanted your younger self to have. Me? I could write boatloads of advice to my teenage self (coupled with the plea: "Please Lord, spare me from my high school years!"). Our cringe-worthy, heart-breaking or even tragic moments seem easier to process now that we’re years older.
There’s an interesting twist on this idea of giving advice backwards that could have a big impact on your life. Here's the twist:
What if your future self was going to write your current self a thank you? What if you could jump forward and look in the rearview mirror and see what actions or shifts would make a big impact on your life? And, in doing that, what would you thank yourself for doing now, years from now?
THINK ABOUT IT
If 5, 10 or even 20 years from now, your future self sat down to express sincere thanks for something you started, shifted or stopped doing today...how powerful is that?!
Your future self wants the best for you hands down! Your future self wants you happy. Your future self wants you fulfilled. Healthy. Loved. Financially stable. Motivated. Less stressed. Balanced. So much more.
Here's an easy and powerful shift this provoked in me: My current self knows that I neglect taking care of my gums. Every dentist visit confirms it. You know that metal poker thing they stab into your gums? 3, 3, 4, 2, 2, 2. Those readings indicate gum health and trust me, getting 2s and 3s isn't good.
For a moment, I fast forwarded into the future and thought, "What do I want here?" It was that simple and doing so turned this life-long non-flosser into a daily one. Seriously, instantly! With this simple mental tool, I jumped forward, looked back, and saw the power in taking action today. Healthy gums when I'm 65? Start flossing today.
So what’s the action you’re doing today that lends your future self to say, “Thank you, my friend.”?
Your future self might want to thank you for:
Finally having that suspicious mole checked out
Actually sticking with an exercise plan
Being totally present with your kids (& not checking your phone or email)
Saving that latte money vs. spending it
Reducing (dare I say, removing?) alcohol from your life
Scheduling that mammogram or colonoscopy
APPLYING THIS TO WORK
It's just as interesting to apply this idea to your work self. What would your future self at work thank you for starting, shifting or stopping today?
Maybe you need to stop denying you want a different job.
Maybe it's time to start paying attention to your work/life balance.
Perhaps it's a good idea to start having weekly 1-on-1s with your team.
It could be you start speaking up for yourself to your boss or others.
Or now is a great time to really focus on developing your leadership skills and moving up the ranks.
Not sure what it is for you, but there's definitely something you can do today that will make a huge impact on your life. So much so, your future self will reach back in time and give you a big ol' high five!
My future self definitely thanks me for quitting my full time job. And, flossing ;)
