I saw that a friend had written a letter to her future self exactly one year ago. It intrigued and inspired me. I was curious what I might say to the future version of myself. It's a way of forecasting and visualizing who you want to be in the future. Our thoughts speak to us everyday.. What do you say to yourself? Who knew introspection and writing to yourself could be so therapeutic?
Dear Future Chris,
There are important life lessons and words of wisdom that I want you to hear. I want you to remember these things and hold onto them. Relearn + practice them until they are ingrained in you.
If you're reading this, at least a full year has come to pass. Happy Birthday! You have purpose, meaning, and value. You have the ability to get stronger and also help encourage those around you. You have the ability to do so much good! You really need to hear these affirmations. So it minus well be from me. Listen up, because no one can motivate you more than yourself.
You are more than enough. You're worth so much more than you think. Walk tall and be confident. Your strength and power comes from within.
Not sure if I ever told you this.. but I'm proud of who you are and who you're becoming. Keep trying your best. That's all you can do. Continue to make me proud. Continue to pursue these resolves. Don't get in your own way. May your drive be relentless and may your purposes be demonstrated in action and dedication. You have what it takes. Buckle down and do whatever it takes to achieve all your goals.
Never forget who you are. Know how powerful you are. Grow in knowledge of God and yourself.
Actualize your potential.
Sure there are tons of areas you can improve on. But there are a lot of good reasons to feel good about yourself too. Do your best to think + feel more positive about yourself. Know yourself. Grow in proficiently and self-mastery. Have inner confidence.
Increase your strengths, work on your weaknesses. Find where you need to change. Know what you're made of. Know your self-worth. Know how much good you have in you. Apply yourself.
Take responsibility for your life.
Failures and mistakes don't define you. No one defines your value but you. You have high value. You have abundance. You have quality. It doesn't matter what anyone else says or thinks. You have nothing to prove and no one you need to impress. Don't be arrogant or cocky. Be confident.
Rediscover your identity. Always seek to better yourself. Pay attention to the rules and labels you impose on yourself. Tell yourself words of affirmation. Absorb it in meditation. Choose who you will be. Put in the intention + action towards transformation.
You have everything you need to become the very best version of you.
Train yourself to have mental toughness. You can overcome any trial or tribulation. Trust me these trials will come, and they will put you to the test. But I know you can get through them. If God is for you, who can stand against?
Don't get in the way of yourself. Don't make excuses. Don't be lazy. Don't complain. Don't put self limitations on yourself. Don't give depression or loneliness any foothold. Stop worrying so much. Destroy discouragement. Kill off negative thoughts. They do you no good.
Preach to yourself daily. Make time for God. Spend more time with Him. Prioritize your relationship with God. When He is the center, everything else follows. Go to Him with your concerns. You are never alone. God is always with you.
Wait upon God. Wait patiently. If you seek God, you will find Him. If you ask, you will receive. No time spent with God is ever wasted. Your Father is gracious and wants to give you amazing things. Be receptive and open to all that God wants to bless you with. Be ready and available to fully receive.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your paths straight.
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You have the ability to do good. You will do great things. Incredible things! Your possibilities are endless. God will work and speak through you. Don't be afraid to take risks. Be bold. Step out of your comfort zone. Use your time wisely. Challenge yourself to do and be more.
Set your mind on things above. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. God is your Shepherd, you lack nothing. You have everything within you. You are equipped to bear good fruit and to do good works. You have the full armor of God. Pray for God's perfect will to be done within you.
Every moment is a perfect moment to come before God.
Remember when there was nothing else you wanted to do then to spend time in intimacy with God? Be engulfed in the love of God. Absorb God's love. Be filled so that His love overflows. There is nothing better than God's love.
You have God in you.
You have wholeness and fullness in Christ.
May He increase and you decrease.
God is your joy!
Be passionate. Inspire others. Serve others.
When it's dark, Be light.
When it's cold, Be warmth.
God will make you strong in Him, so you can strengthen others.
Part of your purpose is to bless, encourage, inspire listen and care for others. In helping others, you also add fulfillment to your own life.
Always remember to do what's right, and not what's easy. Pursue righteousness, holiness, faithfulness, obedience, virtues, and integrity. Be honest with others and yourself. Fight for purity. Stand for truth and justice. Don't compromise your ethics. Stay true to yourself.
Watch your thoughts, words and actions. Work on your character.
You will overcome and endure times of pain, suffering and loss because God is your refuge + strength. No matter what you may be going through or what you will go through, you'll get through it. God's grace is sufficient.
Include God in every area and in every manner.
Make God's desires, your desires. Make His values, your values. Make His ways, your ways. There is no such thing as time management, only management of the self.
I know you get distracted. I know your heart is prone to wander. Yet keep running back to God's embrace. God's hand will continue to guide you. Follow where he leads. Listen when he speaks. Even when you can't always sense Him, God is always with you.
You are as close to God as you want to be. It's up to you.
Be bold and courageous. Don't doubt yourself. Believe in yourself. You should have already grown in sheer confidence by now. But I'll tell you anyway, embody confidence! You can be as confident as you want to be. Be the man you want to be. And know that you already are. Nothing is too difficult to overcome.
Life doesn't give you what you want.
It gives you what you believe.
Savor + enjoy the good moments.
Create and enrich positive experiences.
You control you.
You control what you think.
You control how you feel.
You control how you will live.
Take a deep breath. Relax. Be in the present moment.
Be at peace.
Speak kindness to your heart.
Tell yourself, "Good morning Chris, I love you."
corny I know, but it will only make you better.
Recognize the beauty of God's creation. Be in awe and wonder. Stay curious.
Seek first His kingdom. God never ceases to amaze. Let God pour into you and fill your spirit. Overflow.
You are loved.
Let go + Let God.
Detach. Don't swim against the stream. Go with the flow. Where God guides, God provides. Allow life take its natural course. Accept that whatever happens happens.
Enjoy where you are in life. Fill your life with positive things and the right people. Stay active. Get stuff done.
Walk your own path. Be driven towards the things you want to accomplish. If you want something in life, go get it. Find meaning + purpose in the process.
You will be a great counselor and shepherd. And in a sense you already are. Pour your life into starting a counseling private practice. You need to harness your focus on creating your own business. You will be your own boss, so do it right.
It's gonna require hard work, but you're fully capable to be successful. The more you invest in it, the more profitable and rewarding it will be. Don't forget to minister to yourself, and allow others to support you as well. Find the people who will be there in your corner to back you up.
Deep down you know your calling. God has called you to counsel and minister. God has called you to help those in pain and those who hurt. Change lives. Help people heal and find strength in God.
Be resolved. Be determined. Be intentional. You can achieve all your goals if you put your mind to it.
Your mind is extremely powerful.
Focus + Attention = Creation.
Abide and remain in God. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. He is your first love, your first priority, your highest joy, your All in All.
You are blessed to be a blessing.
Be compassionate to others. Be kind to yourself. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Have grace + forgiveness for yourself.
Stop trying to be perfect. You're too critical and hard on yourself. Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't take yourself so seriously. Ease up a little. Stop stressing. Relax. Take a deep breath. Listen to good music. Take a walk. Have conversations with God. Enjoy all the simple things in life.
Be yourself.
Enrich and invest in your inner life.
Do whatever it takes to be your best self. Strive for excellence. Choose to be in the best mood. A little positivity can go a far way. Use it to encourage others.
Your holistic health is all interconnected. Make healthy habits! Work hard, help others, save money. Give your best effort. What you put in, is often what you will get out.
Exercise often and consistently. meditate. Eat healthy and smart. sleep well, read, write, listen to music, try new things. Laugh, play, have fun, enjoy the simple things. Honor your family, cherish friendships. Appreciate the people you care about. Do the things you love. Find joy in the moment. Flourish.
Focus on the essentials and cut out the distractions. Take care of what needs to get done. Repent and break bad habits and harmful thinking. Look for the lessons. Learn from your mistakes.
Don't let time slip by. Focus on what's truly important. Nothing good comes easy. Put in the time, hard work, dedication and effort. Results come when you are committed to the grind and daily disciplines.
Stay Consistent + Disciplined.
Your power is in your pursuit to becoming more. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You have the ability to grow. You have the ability to create the life you want.
Everyday become at least 1% stronger.
In 100 days, you'll be 100% stronger.
Add at least 1% happiness to someone else.
Be holy as He is holy. Hunger to grow in the likeness of Christ. Thirst for righteousness. If you're facing the right direction, all you need to do is keep walking.
Take small steps in the right direction. Keep going.
You may not always notice it, but you are growing stronger and stronger. Every day you add to your growing strength. The more you have, the more you can give.
Your happiness is not in the past or the future, it's in the present. Why wait for a particular moment to be happy? You have the present. Those who are present focused are generally twice as happy compared to those who let their mind wander. Catch your mind when it wanders, bring it back to the present. Center yourself.
You don't find happiness, you create it.
Choose to be happy, even when you don't feel like it.
Catch and savor the moments of happiness.
You can be happy without any reason to be.
Make it your default.
More than happiness, find meaning + purpose.
Happiness is a byproduct of meaning.
Happiness is found in action and progress.
Happiness is found in simplicity.
Meaning can be found in every moment and in small things.
Find fulfillment in self-improvement and personal development. Make meaningful connections. Always be there for others. Tend to the hurt, the lonely, and the broken, you can make a difference. Be relationally intentional. Find a sense of belonging. A conversation is never a waste of time.
Make every moment count. Push through pain. Live life to it's full extent. Look for the good. Choose to make every day a good day. Choose to be happy. It's your choice. It's completely up to you.
Accept the things you cannot change,
have the courage to change the things you can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
The pessimist complains about the direction of the wind.
The optimist hopes the wind will change.
The realist adjusts his sails.
Faith is belief manifested in trust. If you really believe God is completely in charge, then all the more reason you should be placing all of your trust in Him. You don't always have to understand. You don't always need an explanation. God is good, so do not worry.
Nothing can separate you from the love of God. You are a child of God. God delights in you! You are treasured. You are no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to righteousness. You got this one life. Give it everything you got.
When you feel lost, confused and cannot always sense God. Know that God is there. He is leading you. Listen carefully because He speaks to you. He is loving you at every second.. Including this very second.
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God is your main source of restoration and healing.
God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in Him. Pray, seek, listen, obey, worship, submit, receive, humble yourself and in all your ways acknowledge Him.
No matter what's going on in your life, everything will be okay. You'll be okay. Don't worry. Be happy. Be full, whole and satisfied in the love of God. Your identity, security and worth is rooted in Christ. Live purposefully. A smile costs nothing.
When you are full and satisfied in Christ and in yourself, you will find happiness and joy. This is contagious.
A candle flame loses nothing by lighting another.
Don't push people away. Don't withdraw. Don't take friendships for granted. You are at your highest point when you are around good company. Be a positive influence. Be a good listener. Love freely. Encourage others when they're down. Make every effort to be at peace with everyone. Surround yourself with good friends who are legit and make you better.
Live life to the fullest because another day is not guaranteed. Every day is filled with opportunity. Every day is a new beginning. Be who God called you to be! Live. Rejoice. Thrive. Grow. Flourish. Love.
Become more and more.
You have infinite capacities within you. Infinite. There is so much more to unlock. Continue to increase. Grow. Persevere. Stay focused. Trust God. You're stronger than you think. Keep at it. Keep growing. Keep moving forward. Keep pushing to make progress.
Remember that you have wholeness, abundance and fullness in you. You create your own happiness. You create your own reality. Train yourself to strengthen your mind and your heart. Unlock all the good within you.
Pursue and Be your best self.
Count your blessings. Appreciate even the small things. Have a grateful heart. Life is a gift. Every moment is an opportunity to be thankful.
Take good care of yourself.
And always remember to Love yourself.
-Past Chris 8/18/20
Resolved. Whole. Full. Abundant. Relational. Light. Positive. Energetic. Overflowing. Controlled. Stoic. Content. Calm. Purposeful. Healthy. Driven. Determined. Relentless. Passionate. Disciplined. Consistent. Focused. Powerful. Strong. Confident.
"You are my hiding place, You preserve me from trouble,
You surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you." -Psalm 32:7-8
"My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in." -Proverbs 3:1-12
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