Dear Future Me (2015) - When I Grow Up

Dear Future Me (2015) - When I Grow Up New glasses (that Im planning to wear in public often, which Ive never really done before and Ive had glasses since 1987!) + new haircut + unstraightened hair (which I also havent done regularly since 87 or so!) = the 2015 me! This is the fifth time Ive written a Dear Future Me letter. You can read the others here and  here  and  here  and here  (and why I didnt write one in 2013  here), and the idea behind the Dear Future Me letter from the amazeballs woman I stole it from (hi Jess Lively!) right  here.  Like past years, I decided to keep some things privatebut this is about 95% of the letter below.   Dear Future Michelle, This has been your year. Everything has really “clicked”, and it’s because after 5 years of being a Woman of the World (aka full-time entrepreneur), of the things you’ve gone through, the lessons you’ve learned, as well as your successes you feel really, truly, ready to Play Big and step into the spotlight. This year, you didn’t shy away from the new, the uncomfortable, the risky. The fact that you remained open to change and reinvention that you welcomed it with an enthusiastic embrace made all the difference. You’ve had lots of highlights professionally this year: signing with an agent and selling your book proposal for a nice advance; rebranding and launching your new site (I know you want me to tell you whether you change the name of your business, but you’ll have to wait on that one!); (finally!) breaking the 6-figure barrier by almost $20K; selling out your new offer with Tiffany  and Erin; and being part of 6 different in-person events and workshops. You celebrated your 5th entrepreneuriversary this year, which was a huge milestone. It feels like it’s gone by in a snap, and you still pinch yourself that you get to do this work as your career. Keep that feeling of appreciation and gratefulness at the heart of your decisions. Actually, it all feels different this year. You’re no longer approaching these goals with the perspective of a workhorse, jumping from one to the other in lightning speed. Instead, you feel present. Joyful. Peaceful. Powerful. Your work isn’t a scramble to make your milestones, but instead a journey to enjoy. It’s a perspective that you’ve had to grow into, and you’re ready to do your work and live your life with intentions. The fact that you know you can make the money you need (and want!) in “just” 30 hours a week has made a big difference in your mindset. You can now trust yourself even more, having proven yourself over and over again. This is what Trust is about. And, of course, your baby girl is at the heart of this. Because of her, you want to be present. Healthy. Strong. Happy. You want her to see you loving the work you do, making your dreams come true, and working as a team with Luke. You also still love the novelty of getting to spend time together each morning, and feel special knowing you can head to the park with her at 11am on a Wednesday if you want. The fact that you get quality time with her each and every day is something you earned, and are so proud of. She makes you wanna stop and smell the roses, which you do every day by writing in your 5 Year Journal and filling your time capsule with proud moments and things to remember. You really made your health and good habits a priority this year, too. You finally stopped picking your fingers. You finished a half-marathon! You walked the entirety of the Avon Walk. You meditated most days, and did your yoga. You cut back on the sugar and desserts. You even cooked a few new dishes! You’re ordering in less and eating better, and it’s improved your energy level. It’s been hard to change these habits, but by keeping them in the forefront of your mind and making them a priority, it’s made a difference. You and Luke were the boss over your savings this year, too. By paying yourselves a salary, putting 20% of your net profits in your retirement accounts, and putting the rest in savings, you’ve replenished your emergency account to be equal to six months of expenses  and still be able to pay for the apartment renovation you wanted. By having a finance meeting weekly and a bigger one at the end of every month, you were super pro-active in feeling secure about your financial future. This was the year of Reinvention for you, Michelle stepping into the new roles you want to play, and getting used to a new way of seeing yourself. Your identity has shifted, and you’ve really stepped into being a Mom and a “serious” (yet still playful!) Woman of the World. In some ways, things have really changed…but in others, they’ve stayed the same. Keep shining a light on your own uniquity, and what you know makes you special, and be intentional in your Yes’, choices and decisions. That way, your Reinvention will still feel very much authentically you. Love, Current Michelle How can I help make your Dear Future Me letter become a reality this year? Join me live in NYC  on 1/27 (there are still discounted tix left!) to make your career compass and/or put in an application to work with me one-on-one!