The Wonderful Evolved Future You

Imagine the person you would most like to be, the version of you that is living the life you always imagined. This person has somehow found the solution to all the challenges you face right now. You don’t know how, but you can tell that she has her shit together at long last. She is not perfect because she is still growing and learning but she is what you ache to be.

Can you see a picture of this wonderful evolved future you?

Physical

What does she look like? What clothes is she wearing? What colour and style is her hair? How does she stand and walk? How does she speak? How often does she smile? Make the physical image colourful and bright and see the beauty, love and light in her eyes.

Emotional

How does the wonderful evolved future you connect with your partner and children? How is she at work? What does she do after a bad day? What are her sources of rest and renewal?

Mental

How does the wonderful evolved future you think about her life? Is she filled with positive optimism for the future? Is she grateful for the past struggles that have made her strong? Does she think kind and loving thoughts towards herself? Does she take great care of herself?

Behaviour

How does the wonderful evolved future you behave around food? Does she eat fresh, healthy food in appropriate amounts? Does she move her body in ways that fill her with energy and vitality? Does she indulge in treats occasionally? Does she forget about food unless she is hungry? Does she get enough sleep? Does she take great care of herself?

Now Put Her to Work

Once you have a brilliant, clear, detailed description of the wonderful evolved future you it is time to put her to work.

Every time you are faced with a behavioural choice ~ what to eat, how to train, believing negative thoughts ~ ask yourself “What would the wonderful evolved me do?” Vividly imagine her in the situation you are now in and take note of what she would do.

A Practical Example

Yesterday I spent 10 hours on my feet runing a major event at the White Sails Asylum. When I got home from work I was physically fatigued and very hungry. As we had no food in the house, Mr Katie and I went to the pub for dinner. As I sat there and considered the menu I asked myself “What would the wonderful evolved Katie who had resolved all her food issues do?” The answer was get a plate of pasta because I was craving carbs and fat to replenish my energy.

It wasn’t about having ‘earned’ the large meal, or how long it had been since I had eaten out, or that this was my ‘cheat’ for the week. It was about taking great care of myself in that situation. Result ~ fully fed and satisfied and no dessert either! WEK (wonderful evolved Katie) didn’t need dessert.

You Can Still Decide Not To

Once you have vividly imagined what your wonderful evolved self would do in the situation, you don’t actually have to do it. I knew that WEK didn’t need dessert but I could have still chosen to eat it anyway because it is not about the actions, it is about the thought.

The reason this practice will change your life is because you are repeatedly picturing  the person you want to be every single day not because you are using your willpower to change your behaviour. Every time that wonderful evolved you image is played in your conscious mind, your subconscious mind is finding ways to make that image become a reality. You are re-programming your subconscious mind so that it gets easier and easier to think, feel and act like that future you.

Get Yourself a WEK

Instead of a mad monkey, an inner gollum, or a binge barbie, get yourself a WEK (wonderful evolved Kristy) or a WES (wonderful evolved Shelley) or a WEL (wonderful evolved Liz) or a WEE (wonderful evolved Emma) or a WEM (wonderful evolved Magda) or a WEX (wonderful evolved X). Know what she looks like, thinks and behaves and then consult her frequently.

I guarantee this one practice will greatly reduce, if not completely eliminate, your weight struggle.

thoughts become things
♥

Did you know …

• Not only does mental imagery seem to enhance athletic performance, but it has been shown to enhance intrinsic motivation as well.  A study in 1995 tested who would spend more time practicing a golf putting task and who would result in having higher self efficacy.  Thirty nine beginner golfers were grouped into an imagery or control group.  For 3 sessions, both groups were taught how to hit golf balls.  The imagery group practiced in an imagery training session designed for this specific golf skill.  As a result, the imagery group spent significantly more time practicing the golf putting task than the control group.  In addition, the subjects in the imagery group had more realistic self-expectation, set higher goals to achieve, and adhered more to their training programs outside the experimental setting. ~ Anne Plessinger

• If our thoughts and feelings focus on the negative we create negative results. If they focus on the positive we create the possibility for the change and expansion which accompany our new image. Self-imaging is a process designed by your mind, fueled by your emotions, integrated into your body and inspired by your faith. It has been called creative visualization and creating with deliberate intent. ~ Cathryn Taylor