Recently, while waiting for my podcast guest to arrive, I found myself looking straight into my own eyes on the zoom screen which was already recording. Some days when this happens I turn my camera off or fiddle around adjusting things, but in this instance I remained still and calm and, kind of out of nowhere, spontaneously started talking to myself.
This is what I said:
“Hey future self. How lucky you are to have talked to all these interesting people.”
It felt surprisingly powerful, sincere and thrilling all at the same time to send a message to my future self.
Then, as I continued to look at myself on the screen, I thought deeply about my younger former self and actually felt my inner child rejoice as I said with a smile;
“Hey former self, you DO become a broadcast journalist.”
Again, it was a special kind of feeling connecting with my former self in that way and letting them know where we landed. Afterall, I am the future of my former self and it felt expansive as we came closer together in that moment.
I paused a little to savor the feeling and then looked deeply into my eyes again. Nodding my head in real time acknowledgement and gratitude I said:
“Hey current self. Being in the moment is pretty cool.”
I share this with you now because I came across it as I was editing the interview from that day. I was about to delete this segment when I realized that there’s something profound and honest about taking the time to do this exercise.
It’s so easy to rush past what is right in front of us in this very moment and dismiss our former selves in pursuit of growing up, and to tease and taunt current self to do better, and achieve more so that eventually maybe just maybe then we might become our elusive ideal future self one day.
We forget that our inner child and our future self are both here within us right now in this moment.
So, take a moment to look yourself in the eye either in a mirror on your phone and summon your former and future selves in this moment.
Think about it.
What’s one thing right now that you can tell your future self?
What’s something you’d like to say to your child self or your former self that they might want to hear?
And now, what about your current self? What might you share together in this moment?
So I encourage you to try it. I promise you won’t regret it. Feel free to share yours with me by adding your video to the comments on my insta. My video is there on wideopenstages.
I’m Lisa Hopkins, stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment.
Published in Collaboration with:
Also by Lisa Hopkins:
Releasing Your Limited Beliefs
Our Limitless Capacity to Thrive