Do you know your future self?

I do.

I've met her a few times through future self visualizations.

The concept is simple yet profound: Visualize and talk to a version of yourself in the future. This is YOU but the version of you who has what you want in life — the upgraded career, loving relationships, beautiful home, vacations on lock, etc.

I just finished a wild 10-year visualization...

I walked through a jungle-like forest path, to my future home, and the giant wooden door opened:

It was me, standing there — 10 years older, much wiser, with way better hair.

She was glowing with the knowing that everything does in fact work out.

She invited me in for coffee and told me all about the life I created. She told me to lean into authenticity. When I left, she gave me a heart-shaped locket — it was a reminder to open my heart.

So that's what I'm doing here in this email...

Like you, I'm tired of corporate speak, AI-written trash, and lack of depth. I'm craving connection, truth, and the power that comes in embracing every part of ourselves. In an effort to make my content helpful, I realized that I've only let a tiny fraction of myself show through lately.

In my last group coaching call of 2024, I shared a reflection on my year. My incredible clients inside The Accelerator said they want to hear more about how I'm leading myself through change.

I thought you might too.

2024 was one of the most challenging years of my life — with the highest highs and lowest lows (I know it won't be the last time I ever say that). I left a steady paycheck to bet on myself and build a business aligned with my purpose.

In many ways, I fell short. I fell off the wagon on a few of my habits throughout the year. Self-doubt held me back more than I'd like to admit. I'd be significantly further along if I never procrastinated.

Can you relate?

Here's what I know to be true:

It has to be okay that we are human.

When I focus on the gains, I find plenty of them.

When I identify my gaps — I need grace, not guilt.

It's easy to focus on the goals I missed. But the version of me who did her annual reflection 365 days ago would have been pretty damn excited to read about all the ways I leaned into courage this year:

• Quit my tech job that was no longer a fit
• Spent hours reprogramming my mindset
• Invested crazy levels into the S&Me 500
• Hosted 4 different free masterclasses
• Heard "no" hundreds of times, kept showing up
• Built and launched The Purposeful Path Accelerator!
• Took an extended break from living in New York
• Hired a special therapist to heal subconscious beliefs

I was extremely uncomfortable for the entire last year.

And that's why I grew so much.

It was a year of experimentation, learning an entirely new skillset, building from 0 to 1 — and unlearning the beliefs and behaviors I've practiced as an overachiever my entire life. That shit takes time.

So where I "fell short", I choose to offer myself grace:

• Felt like my wins weren't "enough"
• Procrastinated on important projects
• Compared myself to people I look up to
• Spent a lot of time anxiously overthinking
• Missed deadlines, then felt guilty about it
• Tied my worth to external measures of success
• Which all led to burnout I spent 6 weeks recovering from

I believe that all of these struggles are an important part of my story. I's only because I've battled perfectionism, overthinking, self-doubt that I've accumulated the mental toolset to manage them... and can pass on those learnings to my clients.

And I couldn't be more excited help more high-achieving generalists like you recognize their worth, unlock purpose in their career, and embrace authenticity to stand out in the job search in 2025.

Now, it's your turn...

If you feel like you didn't measure up last year, you're in good company.

Your struggles are an important part of your story too, even if you can't see it yet.

Because when you aren't winning, you're learning.

It's time to apply those lessons and realign with the version of you who's already got the new job, created the personal brand, started the business, unlocked the life you dream about, you name it.

Future self visualization is a potent reminder that the answers we seek are already inside us, waiting to be discovered. If only we create the space to sit with the big questions, we can begin to answer them. The more often you do this as a practice, the easier it becomes.

I'll leave you with these questions to chew on:

• What are you proud of from 2024?
• How are you different and better from who you were in 2023?
• Where do you need to forgive yourself for being human in 2024?
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• Imagine yourself at the end of 2025. How does future you operate differently?
• What beliefs and behaviors do you need to let go of? What about to adopt?
• What actionable commitments do you want to make in Q1 to align?
• What is a 1-word intention or mantra you'll use as a daily reminder?

Resources to help:

→ The first time I did one of these visualizations in 2023, I fully committed to creating content consistently on LinkedIn in alignment with my purpose. Now, I encourage my clients to do this one year visualization before diving headfirst into their career transition.

→ If you want a more in-depth exercise to extract the lessons from 2024 and enter 2025 realigned with your values, I highly recommend Downshift's Annual Review — The 10-year future self visualization I did is in here. Warning: It's powerful.

→ Listen to the podcast episode of Secrets of The Career Game where I share more on how to use your Future Self to get clarity on your career.

If 2024 kicked you in the ass, just know that 2025 is full of infinite possibility. Each day is a new one.

I believe in you and your ability to build a career and life you can't wait to wake up for.

Happy New Year!

P.S. My first free masterclass of 2025 is launching next week to help you stand out in the job search & dominate the January job rush. You'll be the first to know when signup is live!