Future visualization is a powerful tool for imagining possibilities and bringing compassion to the present self.

I get to work with coaching clients across the breadth of their careers - from early career to retirement with a whole lot of millennials in the middle. Over the last few years, I've had the privilege with serving more early career clients. 

For many of those early career folks (I see you too mid-career pivoters in grad programs!), this is graduation time. Looking ahead can be scary and challenging for lots of reasons - whether you have no idea what's next or feel like you should be grateful to have something full time lined up, but worry about getting stuck there or aren't sure if it's quite the right fit. 

And so, this practice is for the new graduates.

Find a comfortable place, and hit play on the audio or review the transcript below to move through the practice. 

Before you start, get a notebook and pen ready to reflect after you're done.

Once you finish the practice, here are some great ways to reflect and take action:

• Pick a day or moment to "perform" as your future self - dress as they would dress, write a speech in their perspective, or feel like it would be like to be your future self to boost your confidence before an interview.
• Write yourself a letter FROM your future self to your present day self. 
• Write down a quote from your future self or create an image of your future self - draw a picture, paint, collage, and get creative. This might also be a good practice to create an image of your future home!

Remember, your future self is someone you can visit, ask for encouragement from, or get advice from any time now. You don't need a far off mentor - just check in with your future self: What would I do 10 years from now?

Transcript

Future Self Guided Meditation

Find a comfortable place to sit. You can also lay down if that feels best for you.

Tune into the breath, noticing any places where it feels stuck and allowing the body to relax.

Deepen the breath, breathing slowly in through the nose and out through the nose. Good.

As you settle in, close the eyes if they're not already closed and picture yourself in a place that feels safe, energizing, and expansive.

Try not to second-guess the place that you picture. Simply allow yourself to be where you are, observing the shapes and colors of the place around you.

Tune in to the sounds in this landscape. In this place. Notice any smells or other sensory experiences around you.

Notice how you feel in this place as you imagine a path, a walkway, and start to move following this path towards a clearing.

And in this clearing, you come across a magical time travel machine. And this can be a rocket ship looking time machine or a bicycle or special roller skates. Let your creativity win here.

Go ahead and engage your time machine and we're going to travel ten years into the future.

As you take off, feel that movement in your body and when we land we are ten years into the future.

As you exit your time travel machine, we'll follow another path this one leading to a home that feels very familiar, very inviting.

This can be any type of home that you imagine for yourself.

But as you approach it, your future self is already there waiting for you.

They step out of the doorway or out onto the balcony, whatever this home looks like, and they are so full of delight to be there with you.

They welcome you in, invite you to sit down with them, join them, and they already have your favorite beverage or snack waiting for you.

Notice the appearance, the energy, that clothing of your future self, their vibe.

As you enter the home of your future self, your home ten years from now, look around the space noticing the colors, the design.

And as you sit down with your future self, sense the wisdom and experience of your future self.

Now is when you get to ask some questions.

So we'll start by asking:

• What has made your life fulfilling?
• What are your greatest gifts?
• What do I need right now?
• What is the greatest contribution you have made over the last 10 years?
• And perhaps, is there a special name that you like to be called?

Now ask a few questions of your own.

Noticing the answers coming into your mind, no right or wrong ones. Receiving each response with gratitude.

Thank your future self and prepare to leave the house and make your journey home.

As you go to leave, your future self hands you one last thing, a special gift.

Explore that gift and ask if there's any special significance. Or you may already know just by looking at it.

As we return to your time travel machine, you know that you are welcome back here anytime. You can always return to visit for a minute, a question, or longer meditation practice.

We'll get back in the time travel machine and return to the present moment, taking a few deep breaths just to seal in the experience.

Allow the eyes to slowly flutter open, stretch, and pause here to write down any important insights that came through from the experience.

Great job.