How a simple phrase can be transformative

I tend to procrastinate. Most days I would rather look at memes, go for a walk, or watch TV then do paperwork. In school, this led to cramming for tests and pulling all nighters to complete a paper or project I had known about for months… Through my inaction, I effectively chose to put it off. I think acknowledging we can choose to do something now, or do it later can help put things into perspective. Once we acknowledge the choice we have, then we can take ownership of our decision which in itself elicits growth and change. But just admitting you have a choice is not always enough. For me, I found a phrase a previous colleague told me that I found transformative. “My future self will thank my current self for doing this now.”

Wow! I must admit, I love helping others, and I love being a therapist… but all the paperwork that goes along with the job I do not enjoy. Not even a little, but I also do not like having a long list of notes to write or a seemingly never ending “To Do” list. This struggle would at times lead to a ping pong effect of putting tasks off, feeling guilty, then anxious as I applied pressure on myself to get caught up. I am positive I am not alone in this. There’s a part of me that would love to avoid tasks I don’t like such as cleaning, or paperwork, but by reframing the “I don’t want to do this” to “My future self will be thankful” helps me change my outlook. Not only does it feel good to not be behind on chores or paperwork, but it also feels fantastic to check a task off my “To Do” list. Maybe a simple reframing could do the same for you.