Coaching practices for Thank Your Past Self
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Thank Your Past Self, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- I can almost hear my older self looking back at the choices I’m making right now, and I’m scared it’s with regret
- I keep beating myself up over how I handled a brutal stretch of my life, but the truth is that earlier version of me somehow got us through it
- I showed up for something hard last week when I really didn’t want to, and instead of letting it count toward "I’m someone who follows through," I just blew past it onto the next demand without a thought.
- I keep making the choice that the version of me a year from now would groan at
- I’ve tried that "imagine your future self" thing but the older me stays a vague stranger I feel nothing for, so it changes nothing
Practices that may help
- Write a letter from your future self to your present self
Ask your 70-year-old self to write back to you now — with gratitude or regret.
Future Self Continuity, Made Practical - Write a gratitude letter to a past version of yourself
Address a letter to yourself at an earlier, harder moment — thank that version of you for surviving and choosing.
Gratitude Letters: Writing Your Way to Deeper Appreciation - Thank your past self for showing up
Look back at a completed behavior or commitment and acknowledge your past self for doing it.
Celebrating Small Wins - Consult your future self
Imagine your wiser future self looking back on this moment, and ask what they’d want you to do.
Self-Distancing: Thinking Clearly About Your Own Problems - Write a letter from your future self
Have your 80-year-old self write back about the decision you’re facing now.
The Regret-Minimization Framework - Filter decisions through "what would future me thank me for?"
Before significant decisions, ask whether your future self will be grateful or resentful.
Future Self Continuity, Made Practical - Make the future self vivid and concrete
A vivid, detailed image of your future self competes more effectively with the present temptation.
The Marshmallow Test and Your Money - Journal to your future self weekly
Writing regularly to a named future self builds the relationship and makes future wellbeing feel personal.
Future Self Continuity, Made Practical - Ancestor gratitude: receiving the long past
Deliberately acknowledge the accumulated sacrifices and gifts of those who came before you.
The Good Ancestor: Long-Path Thinking for a Meaningful Life - Acknowledge the people who made you who you are
Name and express gratitude to the specific people whose influence shaped your life.
Life Review and Reminiscence Therapy
Related concerns
- Connect To Future Self
Writing regularly to a named future self builds the relationship and makes future wellbeing feel personal.
Journal to your future self weekly
- Future Person Thinking
Ask your 70-year-old self to write back to you now — with gratitude or regret.
Write a letter from your future self to your present self
- Future Perspective Self Awareness
Ask your 70-year-old self to write back to you now — with gratitude or regret.
- Future Self
Hal Hershfield’s research shows that most people experience their future self as a stranger — neurologically similar to perceiving another person rather than themselves. This psychological distance explains impulsive decisions that trade future wellbeing for present comfort. Practices that increase felt connection to the future self reduce this discounting and improve decisions ranging from saving to health behavior.
- Future Self Continuity
Hal Hershfield’s research shows that most people experience their future self as a stranger — neurologically similar to perceiving another person rather than themselves. This psychological distance explains impulsive decisions that trade future wellbeing for present comfort. Practices that increase felt connection to the future self reduce this discounting and improve decisions ranging from saving to health behavior.
- Future Self Continuity With My Team
Hal Hershfield’s research shows that most people experience their future self as a stranger — neurologically similar to perceiving another person rather than themselves. This psychological distance explains impulsive decisions that trade future wellbeing for present comfort. Practices that increase felt connection to the future self reduce this discounting and improve decisions ranging from saving to health behavior.
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