A Conversation Across Time
What I Would Tell Myself, and What I Will Carry Forward
Take a moment to arrive. Let your breath slow. There is no right answer here.
Part One: A Conversation with Your Past Self
Think of a moment in your life you can return to.
This may be a moment of transition, uncertainty, longing, or quiet decision-making.
What age were you?
For me, I often return to being 18 years old, standing at a crossroads. I had applied to both Boston University and Marquette University. A part of me wanted to go away, to stretch, to try something unfamiliar. Another part of me was afraid. I chose to stay close to home and attend UIC. My life unfolded well, but when I look back, I notice that fear shaped that decision more than trust.
If I could go back, I wouldn’t tell my younger self that she made the wrong choice. I would sit beside her and encourage her to do it afraid. I would remind her that fear does not mean stop. It often means something matters.
Now, return to your own story:
How old are you in this memory?
What was happening in your life at that time?
If you could offer your past self one thing, what would it be?
Advice
A challenge
Reassurance
Patience
Stillness
Hope
Permission to rest or wait
Emotional connection or understanding
Your message does not have to be about fear. It may be about trusting timing, honoring your pace, allowing grief, choosing hope, or learning to be still.
Write or reflect gently. This is not about fixing the past. It is about witnessing it.
Part Two: What Still Applies Now
We cannot go back and change the past. If we changed it, it would alter our present in ways we cannot fully know.
With that in mind, consider this:
Is the message you offered your past self something you still need now?
How does that wisdom show up in your current life?
Where might you be practicing the same lesson again, whether that lesson is courage, patience, boundaries, hope, rest, or trust?
Sometimes the work is not to push forward, but to slow down.
Sometimes it is not about doing more, but about staying present.
Sometimes it is about believing that what you are building will take time.
Name one way this reflection applies to your life right now.
Part Three: Choosing Intention for 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, allow this reflection to guide you forward.
For me, the theme of doing it afraid is still alive. In 2026, I have a big business goal that feels both exciting and unsettling. Fear is present, but so is clarity. I have written the plan, built the structure, and committed to implementing it by April 2026, even without certainty.
Your intention may or may not involve fear.
Based on what you would have said or offered to your past self:
What is one thing you will do differently in 2026?
What is one meaningful step you will take that reflects growth?
This should be:
Specific
Measurable
Anchored in action or practice
Complete one of the following statements:
In 2026, I will choose ____________________, even when it feels uncomfortable.
In 2026, I will practice ____________________ consistently.
By ____________ (date), I will ____________________.
Closing Reflection
Notice what it feels like to hold your past with compassion and your future with intention.
You are not late.
You are not behind.
You are still in conversation with yourself.
Sometimes healing looks like movement.
Sometimes it looks like stillness.
Both count.
Take a breath. Carry forward what fits. Leave the rest behind.