Is it time to stop listening to Past You?

I’ve been thinking lately about how 20-year-old Past Mel would have thought everything I’m doing now was crazy, irresponsible, and would probably be way more than she could handle:

Past Mel used to love saying she thought being an entrepreneur sounded like a nightmare. 😂 Now, I love the freedom of running my own business.

Past Mel chose not to pursue acting for many reasons, one of which was because she wanted a stable income with health insurance. Now, I love coaching and freelancing (not exactly stable) and I pay for my own health insurance.

Teen Mel’s high school teachers asked her to go to a leadership summer camp, to which she replied, “I’m not a leader. Pick someone else.” Hahahahahahaha. Oh, Past Mel.

What about you? Did Past You have different interests, skills, or ambitions? Did Past You think if you could just achieve THIS ONE THING then everything else would be amazing? And then you did and it wasn’t? Or you started to and realized you didn’t actually like that thing?

Did 20-year-old Past You pick a career that seemed like a great idea at the time, but now it’s sucking the life out of you? 

Have you seen that meme on social media that says something like, “Just because 20-year-old you decided to be a lawyer, doesn’t mean 40-year-old you has to be?”

If Past You was different than Present You, that can only mean one thing…

Future You can be a different person than you are right now.

GASP

I know, right?

It is kind of trippy when you think about it. 

If you’re currently a procrastinator and you feel like that trait is sucking the joy right out of your life, then what if Future You ISN’T a procrastinator? (I have coached people who have overcome this habit even after being told that’s just the way they are and they need to learn to live with it. I’m also a recovering procrastinator. So what I’m saying is… you can tell me it’s impossible, but I won’t believe you.)

Do you realize you can change your identity?

Smoker to non-smoker?

Easily overwhelmed to cool under pressure?

Always busy to plenty of time to lounge by the pool?

You. Get. To. Choose.

Usually when I teach this concept, someone inevitably pipes up and says…

But, Mel. Isn’t wondering who I’m supposed to be and what my purpose is the meaning of life?

Um… maybe waiting for an answer is what gives your life meaning, but it doesn’t work for me and I’ve heard the same from my coaching clients. You can wait, but you can also decide. Sure, you’ll make some wrong choices, but it’s only in moving forward that you can make it to the next intersection, the next crossroads, the next decision in the journey. 

Want to become a more authentic version of Future {{first_name}}? You gotta get up and move.

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE

Ask yourself the question… what would I love to change about myself, but I’m pretty sure it’s not possible? And follow it up with… what if it were possible? How would I act?

And then act that way.

Let this one sink in and re-read it in a couple of days. You’ve got this!

Love,

Mel

Your 5-Star Life Coach ⭐️

P.S. Future {{first_name}} can be a totally different person than you are today! Chew on that for a minute.