Today's challenge was a good one, so I decided to complete it here. Here is the challenge:
Write a note from your future self to your current self, and describe what you've accomplished.
How to do it
Take a few moments to write yourself a quick note or email as if you-of-five-years-from-now were writing to you-of-today. Tell yourself about all of your accomplishments. Do you play a new instrument or have a special skill? Work a different job? Live in a new place?
Why it matters
Research has shown that positive thinking leads to positive results, and that just thinking about success can make success happen! It's easy to think something is out of reach, but telling yourself you've already succeeded at something makes it feel real before you begin. Positive thinking has shown to increase a person's life span, give people better coping skills in times of stress, and even give them more resistance to the common cold.
Fun Fact
In September 2008, an inventor with a prototype jetpack flew over the English Channel in 9 minutes, 7 seconds. He reached speeds of 186 mph (300 km/h). That's positive thinking at work.
And here is my entry:
Dear Anita,
It is currently June 21, 2015. I have been pretty busy these past five years, and while there have been ups and downs, I can honestly say it has been the best five years of my life!
Let's start with the second half of 2011. In October, I married my best friend and the love of my life. We had a small wedding at a local community theatre building where we first met. It was a sweet and unique ceremony, and the guests were all happy and supportive. The honeymoon cruise to Cozumel was heavenly and very relaxing. We ended the year with a couple of credit cards paid off and a plan in place to get out of debt completely. We adopted another puppy for Kaylee to play with, and she is adjusting to not being the "only child."
In 2012, we paid off the rest of our credit card debt and started saving for a down payment on a house. In the meantime, I got a new job that pays what I was actually worth, and was able to contribute even more to the savings account. We purchased the house near the end of the year, and I found out I was pregnant. During all this, I finally got a publisher interested in my fantasy series and it was published by a small house. It enjoyed moderate success in the young adult demographic and some adults were reading it too. Not best seller level, but enough to put some extra money in our pockets.
2013 brought us our first child. Being a mother is the most amazing and rewarding experience of my life. I made lots of knit baby blankets and little clothes. I started a new business - doing public relations and development for nonprofits on a contract basis so that they do not have to hire someone to do it. I plan events and write grants and handle media for 5 small to medium local nonprofits now, and am working on getting some additional clients. I also took up piano and learned how to speak Czech as a nod to my heritage.
In 2014, we settled into a routine as a family, and Jon and I had a blast starting to see what our firstborn was going to be like. We talked about having another child within the next year. We both always wanted two.
So that brings us to this year - 2015. I am currently pregnant with our second child and business is booming! While things have not always been perfect, we have gotten through all the difficult times and have come through them stronger and closer than ever. Our family is happy and I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed possible.
If I can give you some advice - hang in there. Things are going to be great - you just have to get through this part. This part is difficult. But it will get better.
Sincerely,
Anita (at age 39 in the year 2015)
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