One Thing I Do at the End of *EVERY* Year ✍🏻
The simple visualization exercise that helps guide my decisions all year
I’m not great at daily journaling, and I’ve started meditation about a thousand times — but I have been consistent with doing this specific visualization exercise each year and it’s one of the most clarifying tools I use to stay intentional about the direction of my life, work, and relationships.
What I love about this exercise is that it’s not just a “feel-good” reflection — it’s actually backed by research. This is what psychologists refer to as a “best possible self” (BPS) exercise, and there are now over 30 related studies showing that vividly imagining your future self can increase confidence, reduce anxiety, and improve decision-making. When you describe your future self in detail, your brain treats it less like a fantasy and more like rehearsal — activating the same regions used for planning, motivation, and real behavioral change. Plus, you’re more likely to achieve goals or build habits if you feel they are connected to a long-term vision and purpose — which is exactly what this exercise does!
How to do it: Get a notebook or blank word doc and at least 5-10 minutes of alone time.
Close your eyes and picture waking up 20 years in the future. You’re living your most fulfilling life. What does a typical day look like?
Where do you live? Where do you wake up? What are you wearing? What’s the first thing you see? Where do you drink your coffee in the morning? What’s your energy level? How do you spend your time? What are you passionate about? What are you proud of? What do you do for fun? What kind of food are you eating? Who do you spend most of your time with?
Visualize this as clearly as you can, with as much detail as you can. When you’re done, spend 5-10 minutes writing down what you saw (can be journal-style, simple bullet points, whatever works for you).
Then try to reverse-engineer the vision. What do you need to start doing now, to make that future version of yourself and your life a reality?
Knowing what I want this day to look like helps me in various aspects of my life — it helps me:
Update annual goals
Identify the habits I want to change or develop
Make big decisions
Know what to say yes/no to
Be thoughtful with spending habits and purchases
Know which relationships to prioritize
Recognize how/where I want to spend my time and energy (roughly how my days/weeks/months should be structured)
Feel anchored to a larger vision for my life that I know I can move myself toward.
It’s also oddly comforting, because chances are that the life you picture in this vision is simpler than the life you often feel you need to strive for (due to social pressure, family pressure, etc.). Something about this helps alleviate some of that unnecessary pressure and gives me clarity about what I actually need to be happy.
Things to keep in mind:
It’s normal for your vision to evolve or change throughout your life. And that’s one of the things that can be so powerful about doing this annually. What changed since last year? What stayed the same? This can help you identify your values and what things deserve your focus and energy. I like writing these in the same Google Doc each year so it’s easy to review and reflect on.
You can adjust the time frame to something that works for you. If 20 years feels too far off, try 1, 5, or 10.
Try to be as specific as possible. Research shows that details matter — the clearer the picture, the more your brain begins to connect that vision to action.
Don’t stress if this exercise doesn’t work for you. Some of us aren’t “visualization” people. You can adapt it to a simple journaling or brainstorming exercise if that feels more helpful.
If you find yourself feeling uneasy, struggling to make decisions, or lacking direction at any point — do this exercise again! Those can be a sign that your “vision” has changed and you’re a little out of alignment.
Tip: If you’re using The Habit Tracker you can complete this exercise on the tab labeled “VISION 👀”. Paying subscribers can download it free in this post or purchase it for $7.99 via my website.
HOW I CAN HELP:
🙋🏻♀️Ask me a question, submit feedback, or suggest a topic right here.
💻 Bring me on board to design your website, create digital products, set up your *very own* Substack, or optimize the backend systems for your business with my Project Packages.
📞Have regular calls with me to work through goals, get accountability, plan your next big launch, or talk business strategy with a Call Package.
📝 Visit my Paper Goods Shop for planners, calendars, and more (take 10% off with the code SUBSTACK at checkout).
📊 Visit my Resources Page for free downloads, spreadsheets, and eBooks.
Question! Where is this journal from? I have been looking for something similar but can never find something that fits everything I am looking for.