To my future self with love…

So, I found myself listening to an old interview of Liz Gilbert from last year. I found it by circuitous means. For truly, are there any other kind of means on the internet! One link led me to another, and then another and then to the podcast Ctrl Alt Delete. Scrolling down the list of episodes, I get to the very end and discover that Emma Gannon’s first guest was Liz. So I click play, pick up my knitting, and listen…

Now, as with all interesting conversations with interesting people, there were a number of threads that continue to weave their way through my thoughts in the days that have past since listening to this interview. But there has been one that has persistently shown up for me – a red thread in the tapestry of my days. And it it this idea of our past, present and future selves, and the giving and receiving that can take place between these selves.

Liz was talking about her process for creating a new work, sharing that she takes years to do the research, which then feeds into the eventual writing of her next book. She said that when she writes, she finds herself needing information that her past self researched and placed in a box for her to make use of now. And so she receives this box as a gift from her past self. And the self that did the research in the first place, does it as a gift for her future self.

I’m not sure I’m describing this terribly well, but what I can tell you is that I feel like this way of looking at our acts of self-care, our crafting of positive rituals, our preparations for creative play, is ever-so-gently changing the way I’m thinking about my choices to show up for myself. And that I see this happening in small ways – those seemingly insignificant decisions that when made over and over and over again add up to a big result.

For example – and this example may seem like a bit of a silly one, but bear with me – in the past, I have been really awful at maintaining a skincare regime. I often forget to take off my makeup at the end of the day, I rarely moisturise, and I tend to get an unpleasant reminder every summer to wear sunscreen. But since I started practicing giving my future self gifts, I have found a system that works for me. Every time I dot my new day cream across my face, I look at myself in the mirror and think, this is a gift to my future self.

It was only after I realised just how effective this practice was turning out to be, that I began to think of how I could apply it in various other ways – like this writing I’ve been sharing on my blog as part of my 365 challenge. Every day, I’m turning up to the page, and I’m writing. Sometimes I’m pleased with what I’ve written. And sometimes, not so much. However, I keep turning up. I keep flexing that creative muscle. And I do this as a gift to my future self.

In years to come, I imagine myself (with great skin, naturally!) sitting at my desk looking back over all the words and ideas and thoughts and stories that have spilled from my fingertips – writing that has made an impact (on myself, and perhaps on others too) – writing that has helped me to become better at what I do, that has fleshed out my thinking, that has deepened my capacity to serve and support others, that has refined my craft. And I imagine that future self smiling softly as she feels so much gratitude in her heart for this gift her past self thought to give her.

So, my love, curious minds, and all that… What gift do you want to give your future self? And what gifts are you receiving from your past self?