Do these 9 things and your future self will thank you
A few weeks ago, I accidentally dropped hot tea on my chest and got a second-degree burn. It was 12 o’clock at night, I was alone and it hurt like hell.
Luckily, my past self had bought me a burn cream — just in case.
As I tended to my wound, I thought intensely about the idea of the future self.
The elusive future self
Most of us don’t think about our future self. We don’t think about him when we overeat, smoke, or harm our bodies. We don’t think about him when we stress, engage in toxic relationships, or forget to save money (guilty as charged).
It’s understandable. We prefer instant gratification. We are the children in the marshmallow experiment who choose to eat the candy.
After all, we suck at visualization. The future self is someone else — an older person we don’t feel a connection with.
What does your future self look like?
After the burn, I installed a photo app with aging filters on my phone that delivered a photo of myself twenty years from now.
It’s not a pretty sight.
I look just like my mother. Same nose, wrinkles, jowls, everything.
I also look a bit sad. I wonder why.
It’s not just the age thing.
Maybe I have regrets about my life. Maybe I made promises to myself that I didn’t keep.
Maybe I never managed to write enough books or live the nomadic life I wanted. Maybe my body aches — or maybe I hate my body.
I look at the photo of my future self and wonder what I can do to make this woman happier.
Just a quick idea. I can continue writing on Medium, so one week from now she will applaud my writing this article even though I get no views.
Things to do about your future self
1. Start small.
Make your bed in the morning and wash the dishes at night. It’s a little gift to your future self but it goes a long way.
2. Embrace minimalism.
All my life I’ve been amassing stuff. Will the future “me” appreciate the unused Christofle cutlery, the unworn shoes, or the engagement ring I haven’t worn for 15 years because I got divorced?
No, she won’t. So now I’m selling or giving away all the things I don’t use. A few items a day — every day.
I bet this cute older woman would appreciate a trip to Vietnam, a month as a digital nomad in Lisbon, or something useful like a creativity class. So, I will be putting the money to good use.
3. Write progress reports.
If you journal, use your entries to compile progress reports for your future self.
Will your future self want to read them? Of course!
4. Organize everything.
Organize your paper documents and file them. Keep a safety file on the cloud for emergencies. Have a place for everything and everything in its place.
Be the trusted young secretary of your future self.
5. Start saving.
This might seem obvious to most people, but strangely enough, I never had the “saving mentality.”
I don’t know why. Maybe I thought I would never live that long (my father died at the age of 49.) Having seen the photo of my older self, the whole idea of growing up/old seems real.
I have to take care of this woman.
6. Start now.
Don’t let your future self say: “I wish I did this”. Don’t worry about the past and all the missed opportunities.
There is a future self and there is a past self, but this is now.
Today is the starting point — a clean slate. It doesn’t matter if you are 20, 40, 60, or 80.
Inspire yourself with late bloomers and older people who became the best version of themselves at a later age like 101-year-old Iris Apfel, or Ruth Flowers who decided to become a club DJ at the age of 72.
7. Ask questions.
Take a piece of paper, look at the picture of your future self, and ask: “What would make you happy?”
The answer may not come immediately, but eventually it will.
8. Send videos to your future self.
Create video messages for your future self to watch at a later date. In the video, talk about all the wonderful things you have done for your future self, point to the things you have trouble correcting, and ask for advice.
Then watch the video six months down the line to see how far you’ve come.
9. Interview your parents and your older friends.
What advice would they give to their younger self?
Last but not least.
Find your best picture ever.
In my best photo, I’m 27 years old.
I look great but inside I’m all messed up. It is a younger version of myself but not a wiser one.
Do some reverse thinking.
Believe that your future self will be an older but better version of you.
Your future self counts on you.
Protect him.
Buy him a burn cream.
Make him proud.
