Checking in With Your Future Self

I must admit - this question has changed the way I make decisions.

Goals are important. I try to incorporate my future self in mind when making them. Why picture current you? That person and image is temporary. Future you should be the best version of yourself.

Would future me approve of this decision I am about to make?

If not, then I re-evaluate.

Here are some decisions I made that "pleased" my future self and made her healthy and satisfied.

1. Health.

I got healthier, i.e., improved my diet and enhanced my exercise. I surmised that while temporarily uncomfortable, both of those will likely improve my longevity and mood. Future me should be healthier than current me anyways or what else what is the point? I want to actually retirement!

2. Work/life balance.

I found a job that allowed me to partake in a satisfying work/life balance. While no job is perfect, and money brings convenience, I decided that having a life would make future me better off. There was no guarantee that having more money would make future me "happier" and I could have easily been tempted to spend my extra money on material items rather than retirement. I wanted to see whether I could enjoy the "little" things. Challenge yourself and see whether you can!

More money could have actually have made future me worse-off (more stressed which ruins the steps I had taken above, less able to spend time with friends and family, or take vacations). A non-negotiable though is having enough money to cover my bills and have some extra left over. I have found that achieving that goal alone is immensely satisfying.

As a type-A person, I will still always thrive to achieve promotions and bonuses, because why not? But I won't supplement those desires with healthy choices.

3. Open a ROTH IRA account.

This one was easy. I contribute a fixed amount each month via direct deposit to avoid excuses. It is hard to picture a satisfied future me unable to comfortably retire or having to continually work into old age. Again, I want to actually retirement!

4. Equity building/ownership.

It is hard to build equity without owning anything. Ownership is power. I saved up for a down payment and purchased a home. I am building equity through home ownership. I figure that future me would be happy when she one day resells the home and experiences pride in owning something.

I have also habitually leased a car. I figured enough was enough and decided to purchase my vehicle once able. Owning it was nice, and I couldn't imagine future me angry with no longer having pesky monthly payments.

5. Building stronger friendships.

Habitual loneliness is akin to smoking an unhealthy number of daily cigarettes. Building stronger friendships has made me healthier and happier. I know people that have my back and I have theirs. It is easy to let strong friendships lapse and spoil, but the effort and time leads strong results. I particularly enjoy having movie nights with friends filled with good food, laughter, and wine. Simple but enough. Picturing an isolated future me sounded terrible and unhealthy honestly.

6. Removing toxic people.

Another non-negotiable. These people steal joy. I recently let go of an unhealthy friendship. As a recovering people pleaser, I struggled, and gaslighted myself on multiple occasions. But I found satisfaction over time and couldn't believe I was willing to spend so much time around this person. All for what? There is no gold star at the end of our life for being miserable. Comparing future me continuing that friendship person v. not made me realize that I had made the right decision.