Gazing into our crystal ball, there is a way of being that is grounded in the present while inspired by a vision just a little further ahead on the path, if we can imagine it.
I love these beautifully written letters to your future self! And the concept of being given permission, or rather encouaged, to dedicate some thought to our future selves while remaining strongly rooted in the present really resonates with me. A practice I intend to adopt.
"Have you always felt like you're not going to have a future, that your life will be cut short, or that you won't reach significant milestones in your life?
If you've survived traumatic events like childhood neglect or abuse, or you were raised by a narcissistic parent, you may experience something which is clinically described as a foreshortened sense of the future. This phenomenon is also a common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can have many different causes...Being unable to imagine your future can be a characteristic symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a mental illness that can develop after a traumatic experience."
Thank you, Amy for this powerful tool that for some of your readers may be a real stretch to complete.
Thank you Evelyn for making this very insightful and important observation. I wasn't aware of this foreshortened sense of the future that can accompany PTSD which makes it quite clear what a stretch it might be for some people to imagine their futures. I appreciate the comment.
I loved this piece so much, Amy. Tending to my future self helps me set my sights into a New Year, a year ahead where I can expand. I love the concepts discussed here - how when we think of our future self our brain lights up the same way as if we are thinking of someone else - a loved one perhaps. We can be here now AND still reach into the future we want for ourselves. ✨
Thanks for sharing so much of yourself here - your letters are filled with so much love and care.
And I love that tradition of the time capsule. I may just do that with my family this NYE 🫶
So glad you enjoyed the essay, Allison. I find myself resisting the instruction, "Live only in the present." My future self informs and enriches my present life. I hope you'll do the time capsule idea. I think NYE is a lovely time to do it. I may do it myself, a letter to be opened every Dec 31 or January 1.
Hi Amy, our circumstances are so similar that I feel like I’m listening to my own thoughts while reading your pieces. I have a lot of soul searching to do and some very hard decisions to make to get myself on the right path for my future self. Thank you for your sharing and suggestions. They help me tremendously!
This makes me happier than you know. Wishing the best for you, Donna, in your soul searching. Choosing the "right" hard isn't easy but I felt such a relief when I had taken that leap.
Thank you dear Barbara! I hope you do write these letters. I was just reading a letter from my 90 year old self. She was so dang proud of me!
I love these beautifully written letters to your future self! And the concept of being given permission, or rather encouaged, to dedicate some thought to our future selves while remaining strongly rooted in the present really resonates with me. A practice I intend to adopt.
Thank you for sharing this and I really like the song for Divorce, April Come She Will.
So glad you enjoyed it!
"Have you always felt like you're not going to have a future, that your life will be cut short, or that you won't reach significant milestones in your life?
If you've survived traumatic events like childhood neglect or abuse, or you were raised by a narcissistic parent, you may experience something which is clinically described as a foreshortened sense of the future. This phenomenon is also a common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can have many different causes...Being unable to imagine your future can be a characteristic symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a mental illness that can develop after a traumatic experience."
Thank you, Amy for this powerful tool that for some of your readers may be a real stretch to complete.
Thank you Evelyn for making this very insightful and important observation. I wasn't aware of this foreshortened sense of the future that can accompany PTSD which makes it quite clear what a stretch it might be for some people to imagine their futures. I appreciate the comment.
Amy, oh how my heart sings for your present and future self!
Congratulations on so beautifully and fully living your life on your terms while sharing your voice!♡♡♡♡♡♡
I loved this piece so much, Amy. Tending to my future self helps me set my sights into a New Year, a year ahead where I can expand. I love the concepts discussed here - how when we think of our future self our brain lights up the same way as if we are thinking of someone else - a loved one perhaps. We can be here now AND still reach into the future we want for ourselves. ✨
Thanks for sharing so much of yourself here - your letters are filled with so much love and care.
And I love that tradition of the time capsule. I may just do that with my family this NYE 🫶
So glad you enjoyed the essay, Allison. I find myself resisting the instruction, "Live only in the present." My future self informs and enriches my present life. I hope you'll do the time capsule idea. I think NYE is a lovely time to do it. I may do it myself, a letter to be opened every Dec 31 or January 1.
Hi Amy, our circumstances are so similar that I feel like I’m listening to my own thoughts while reading your pieces. I have a lot of soul searching to do and some very hard decisions to make to get myself on the right path for my future self. Thank you for your sharing and suggestions. They help me tremendously!
This makes me happier than you know. Wishing the best for you, Donna, in your soul searching. Choosing the "right" hard isn't easy but I felt such a relief when I had taken that leap.
LOVED this. I have had a working relationship with my future self for several years, and she's always grateful for my thoughtfulness...
Thank you, glad to know we are both in touch with our future selves and keeping that dialogue going strong.