As I sit here meticulously folding and individually tying the Xmas lights to go back in their box for another year, I KNOW that I will be grateful, come December, that I took that extra time to put things away with some sort of order and rationale. (no tangled lights or broken baubles here!)

It has got me thinking about working today for the ‘Future YOU‘. What steps can you take TODAY which will benefit you later on, and which you will ultimately look back on and say ‘I’m really glad I did that when I did’?

As I find in my Life Coaching interactions, the self-examination that this concept encourages can often help a Client to recognise their ambitions and alter their lifestyle (even by sometimes very small amounts) to allow them to follow a more direct and efficient path to their goal.

Of course, knowing now what you will need to do for the future ‘you’ sometimes isn’t clear, but there are some key actions which can be planned into your schedule that will yield benefits along the path of your life.

It might be useful to make a list of the things that you think that a “future you” will be grateful for.  There’s a terrific article by Christina Ellis, Successful Author, Life Coach and Musician which offers up to 30 suggestions on what things your future self will thank you for.

Suggestions that come to mind

A YEAR from now, will you be starting another year WISHING you had take up a new habit/dropped an old one earlier? Take that leap – sign up for that course, start exercising just ONE extra day per week on top of what you do, drop the alcohol or sugar for 5 out of 7 days…..all things the FUTURE YOU will be saying ‘Thank you‘ for.

Just like being obsessive over putting the Xmas decs back with military precision; yes it took more time, and yes my patience and enthusiasm were waning and it would have been easier not to bother and just chuck ’em in the storage box…but NOW, after doing it LAST YEAR, I am SO GRATEFUL to my PAST SELF for taking the time. The same applies for health and self care: Take the time, think of the future YOU who can benefit from good decisions you make NOW (or ultimately suffer for you taking the alternative ‘easy’ road).

On a more general note – who do you want your future self to be? Do you want to be in the same position or better? Do you want to be happier/healthier/fitter/more adventurous/more assertive/more sociable?

Of course, our needs change along the way, and sometimes decisions we make now are no longer valid down the line….but you can only do your best with the information you have in front of you…work with that!

To note:

A common theme in both Life Coaching and Personal Training is the overwhelming feeling that can come with trying to set goals. The bigger the goals or the further away they are, the more unattainable or intimidating or unrealisic they feel. This can ultimately lead to a feeling of failure, and lack of confidence…and fear of trying at all! So, whilst we’re talking about ‘FUTURE SELVES’, this can be TOMORROW. Or NEXT WEEK! Break your goals down into smaller, more achievable little ‘wins’. For example – ‘I want to drop a clothing size and improve my fitness in 2023‘ can be ‘I will go to the gym 3x this week and walk every lunch time‘. Over the year…these little ‘wins’ will add up to you ultimate end goal. (And your FUTURE SELF will thank you for taking the steps).

I guess that I am just trying to say:

Every day is a new chance to make better decisions which will enhance your life experience and ultimately your happiness. Be those health and fitness decisions, romantic, financial or social.

If you ever feel you can’t ‘see the woods for the trees’ and need a little help directing your goal-setting, give me a shout!

Let’s grab 2023 by the dumbbells!!