Ep. 5: Who Is Your Future Self?

Is this future mine, or is it who I was taught I’m supposed to become? Episode 5 is about becoming, and how to tell whether the future you’re moving toward is truly yours or borrowed. We start with the idea that your future self isn’t a stranger to invent. She’s already showing up in small choices, if you know where to look. We talk about the difference between pretending and practicing, the psychology behind it, and the clues your body gives you along the way, including the voice of “should” hiding underneath what you think you want. We also name two traps to skip: hustle culture and toxic manifestation. Then we each share a story. Tabitha remembers the woman she met as a child who showed her what college could mean, and Courtney talks about the future she once pictured, and the quiet moment she realized she was ready to get off that train. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and check ins 01:42 What do I want versus what should I do 02:59 Your future self: “I am her, she is me” 05:45 Pretending versus practicing 10:17 Possible selves and the psychology of becoming 13:15 How exposure shapes who we can imagine becoming 15:15 Is this future mine, or borrowed? 16:05 What your body is telling you 23:07 The voice of “should” 26:34 Two traps: hustle culture and toxic manifestation 30:13 When your future self becomes an improvement project 31:41 Tabitha’s story: the woman who showed her college 35:44 Courtney’s story: getting off the train 42:16 Four questions to take with you 44:42 Closing: you’re becoming more fully yourself Ideas From This Episode Possible selves, from psychologists Hazel Markus and Paula Nurius: the versions of who we might become, the ones we hope for, expect, and even fear Future self continuity, from researcher Hal Hershfield: how connected you feel to the person you’re becoming The coin flip trick: give each option one side of a coin, flip it, and notice which side you’re hoping for before it lands Treat what your body tells you as one data point, not the whole answer Before you leave, ask yourself two questions: Where is your future self already showing up, in a decision, a boundary, or a habit? Is the future you’re picturing yours, or is it borrowed? The moon is always whole. And so are you. Keep rising.