What Your Future Self Wants to Tell You About Your Health (Right Now)

We’ve all heard the saying: “If you could talk to your 20-year-old self…” and we imagine giving advice about career choices, relationships, or overall health. But what if we flipped the question? Instead of looking backward, what if we looked forward?

What would your older, wiser self say to you today, about your health and wellbeing?

This shift is subtle but powerful. When we talk to our past selves, there’s often regret, guilt, or pressure to “fix” things. But when we imagine our future self speaking to us right now, it becomes a compassionate and motivating exercise. Your future self isn’t judging, they’re cheering you on, offering gentle guidance, and nudging you toward choices that will serve you long-term.

Here’s how it might look in practice:

• “Every small habit you build today will keep you strong, energetic, and resilient for years to come.”

• “Listen to your body before it forces you to slow down. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, hydration, and movement, remember prevention is the cure”

By framing our health choices as advice from the “future you,” we create self-compassion, clarity, and motivation.

Try this exercise tonight: close your eyes, imagine yourself 10 or 20 years from now, and ask: “What would I want to tell myself right now about how I take care of my health?” Listen carefully. Write down the advice. Then pick one small action you can do today to honor that guidance.

Our future self is rooting for us, every step of the way. Let’s start listening.