Blog Layout

Envision Your Best Possible Selves: Professional, Social, and Personal Domains

Tracy Lefebvre • Dec 05, 2023

Why You Should Try It

Sometimes our goals in life can be elusive. Other times, we look for ways to evaluate opportunities before us. Often, our minds and non-conscious habits can get in the way, making it difficult to see our best path forward. 


In The Best Possible Selves Exercise, you imagine your life going as well as possible, then write about the best possible future. 


The objectives of this exercise are:

  1. To provide your brain with what it needs to filter in new information that supports you in meeting your goals.
  2. To increase your happiness in the present while paving the way for sustained happiness in the future. 
  3. To help you move beyond reacting to situations based on experience and open you up to ‘seeing’ new ways of being and doing. 
  4. To share a concrete tool to aid in education and preparation as you move toward taking action toward your goals.

Why It Works

By thinking about your best possible future self, you will learn about yourself and what you want in life. This way of thinking can help you restructure your priorities and increase your sense of control over your life by highlighting what you need to do to achieve your dreams.

The Process

Select three separate times to meet with yourself (or your coach) to imagine and describe your best possible self in three domains: 

  1. Personal Domain: skills, hobbies, personality, health, accomplishments, etc.
  2. Professional Domain: job, a sense of purpose, education, skills, retirement, income, etc.
  3. Social Domain: romantic relationships, friends, family, social activities, etc.


Step 1

Select Domain


Step 2

Take 1 minute to envision in your mind what your best possible self in the selected Domain looks like and create as much detail as possible.


Step 3

Write for 5-minutes or more about your best personal self from the first-person perspective. “I am… I feel… I….” Include every detail possible.


Once you’ve completed your notes, examine what you have written. You (or a thinking partner such as a coach) can look at the language and dive deeper into the meaning to create a detailed Best Possible Self destination.


Resources

Greater Good Science Center ~ Berkeley https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/best_possible_self

Laura A. King, Ph.D., University of Missouri 

Sonja Lyubomrisky, Ph.D., University of California

Jeffrey Huffman, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital

One Way to Shift from an Autopilot Life to a Life by Design

By Tracy Lefebvre • 17 Mar, 2024
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to fall into the trap of living on autopilot. We wake up, go through the motions, and repeat the same routines day after day. In some ways, it’s good for us as it limits our mental energy; in other ways, not living mindfully and by design can be particularly limiting. It may even have long-term adverse effects on your body and mind.

Understanding Cortisol Dumping at Night: A Guide to Managing Stress Hormones for Better Sleep

By Tracy Lefebvre • 17 Mar, 2024
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, stress has become an almost inevitable companion for many. Our bodies respond to stress by releasing various hormones, and one of the key players in this process is cortisol. While cortisol is essential for our survival, its levels can disrupt our sleep patterns, particularly with a phenomenon known as cortisol dumping at night.

Navigating the Impulsivity Conundrum in the Workplace: A Guide for All

By Tracy Lefebvre • 17 Mar, 2024
In the world of thinking differently, people with ADHD face a particular challenge that Dr. Edward Howell called managing a high-powered "Ferrari brain" with bicycle brakes. It's hard for us to slow down our thoughts. This can significantly affect our personal and work lives. Understanding how impulsivity affects decision-making is important for success at work.

ADHD Adventure: The Physical, Mental, and Social Odyssey

By Tracy Lefebvre • 05 Dec, 2023
Navigating life with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) is an odyssey of physical, mental, and social adventure. ADHD is a well-defined and valid diagnosis, with descriptions of this syndrome dating back to 1775. It occurs across all ages, with studies from various parts of the world confirming its global prevalence, emphasizing its significance globally. If you have met one person with ADHD, you have met one person with ADHD. It is not a simple diagnosis to navigate, making it complex not only for those of us with ADHD but for everyone who wants to support us. By understanding its entirety—biologically, psychologically, socially, and potential impacts on life—we pave the way for a more compassionate and inclusive society.

Celebrating a Spectrum of Minds: Embracing Neurodiversity and Understanding Neurodivergence

By Tracy Lefebvre • 05 Dec, 2023
Let us embark on an enlightening journey, exploring two fundamental concepts—neurodiversity and neurodivergence—that shed light on how people use a range of ways to think. We acquire knowledge and understand life through our thoughts, experiences, and senses differently. Just as artists use various colors and mediums to create their masterpieces, the human mind is a palette of diversity and brilliance.

Take Aim Tool Using Your Best Possible Self Vision

By Tracy Lefebvre • 05 Dec, 2023
Why You Should Try It

Enhancing Focus: A Practical Strategy for Sustained Attention for Everyone Including Those of Us with ADHD

By Tracy Lefebvre • 05 Dec, 2023
The ability to focus and hold sustained attention can critically impact our performance in real-world situations and enhance our success in the workplace. Attention and focus are common challenges individuals have with ADHD; I mean, the first two letters of the diagnosis are attention deficit, after all. Yet, what I have discovered is there is a lot of misunderstanding and unrealistic social expectations when it comes to our ability to sustain attention. When clients, individuals, or employers want to discuss strategies around attention and focus, I always ask two questions:

Understanding ADHD in the Workplace: Unveiling Common Challenges

By Tracy Lefebvre • 22 Nov, 2023
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting millions of adults worldwide. While it's often associated with childhood, it can persist into adulthood, posing unique challenges, especially in a work environment.  In creating a supportive workplace for individuals with ADHD, it can be beneficial to recognize common challenges while honoring that each individual experiences ADHD uniquely and that even individuals who don't have ADHD may face the same challenges. Challenges are often created through societal norms that work against optimal performance for our human brains and bodies.

Grounding

By Tracy Lefebvre • 22 Nov, 2023
Hey there! Ever heard of grounding? It's not some mystical thing – it's actually a tool for overcoming stress, overwhelm, or a lack of feeling in the moment.

Demystifying Stress: How It Shapes Our Lives and How to Deal With It

By Tracy Lefebvre • 21 Nov, 2023
Life is like a rollercoaster - full of ups and downs that can leave us feeling stressed. But what exactly is stress, and why does it affect each of us differently? Let's take a ride through the spectrum of stress, from the good kind to the not-so-good and learn how to navigate it for a happier and healthier life.
More Posts
Share by: