Hello friends, welcome to 2023. Wherever you are at in your journey with this app and in life, welcome to a new year 🙂 Thank you to everyone who has been giving Methodically a try, and thank you for sending in your comments—please keep sending in your feedback!
Over the past month, I’ve been researching a positive psychology practice referred to as “Best Possible Self” or “BPS” and am happy to say we’ve just added it as a new method available for all.
Best Possible Self is an elegantly simple writing activity that research has shown can increase your sense of meaning and satisfaction in life. The instructions: Find 20 minutes of uninterrupted time, read the prompt below, and then write. That’s it.
The prompt for BPS:
“Think about your life in the future. Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You have worked hard and succeeded at accomplishing all of your life goals. Think of this as the realization of all of your life dreams. Now, write about what you imagined.”
King, 2001
In the original studies on this practice, the writing sessions are repeated four days in a row, and by the end you start to see a shift towards a deeper sense of meaning and even satisfaction in life.
Whether you do it once or four times, the results of this guided reflective practice are perfect for bringing into a 1:1 coaching session, or to reflect on by yourself, as you begin to set some goals or put into place new habits and systems.
A little tip from an insider: I tried this practice myself and found that it wasn’t all roses and sunshine. Thinking deeply about your future can also be distressing. Be kind with yourselves and I invite you to take a growth mindset here, cast that vision wide and be open to possibilities. If you would like support as you practice this method, I offer focused 1:1 coaching sessions on BPS practice, feel free to reach out for a 30min call.
Thanks for stepping into your journey of growth. Sometimes the hardest part is showing up, and you’re doing it 🙂
-Adrian
References
King, L. (2001). The Health Benefits of Writing About Life Goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(7), 798-807.