I took a meditation class at the Shambhala Center in NYC, and was thrilled to hear a lecture from a talented teacher. She spoke about how easy it is to get stuck in thinking that we can't accomplish something because when we look back in our history, we haven't done it yet. Maybe we haven't tried, maybe we've tried and failed, maybe we've been too scared to start, but for whatever reason we are bound up in our personal history of inexperience, and the thought that we simply can't do something, or are scared. She suggested, if you're going to get caught up in your past, you may as well get bound up with your future as well.

So, what on earth does this mean? She offered this for an example: you wouldn't start attending college without envisioning yourself as a graduate. You wouldn't begin a diet without picturing yourself as a healthier person. When you're starting something new, imagine your future successful self, reaching back through time, to encourage your current self, and pull you forward towards those open arms. If you're going to be scared by your past self, you may as well be cheered on by your future self.

I like imagining my future successful self - who she looks like, what she's doing, what she's accomplished. I like that she's on my side, pulling me forward towards the future.