Getting Out of a Rut Now by Changing the Dialogue with Your Past and Future Self

If you were to write a letter to your past self, you might find that current you wants to reassure, or forgive, or encourage, or plead with past you. 

If you were to write a letter to your future self, you might tend towards promising, or pleading, or demanding.

It’s a worthwhile exercise in order to see your tendencies more clearly. 

Then, take a kind and critical view of your self-dialogue. Demanding and pleading don’t work all that well with other people, so they won’t work with you either. 

You can change a current rut you’re in by changing the conversation you have with the past and future yous. 

Gratitude and generosity towards p-you (ha!) and f-you (ha!) will make you stronger now. Compassion and encouragement towards other-time-yous may help shift things for you in the present moment. 

Present-moment-you is created in part by how you interact with past and future you. Kindness, patience, and warmth, would be a great start.