Move from Fearful to Fearless

A Proven Journaling Tool

by Rochelle Melander

Les Brown said, “Live out of your imagination instead of out of your memory.”

TL;DR Summary: This post teaches you the best possible self journaling exercise. In four twenty-minute chunks, write about your life one year from now–in the present tense.

When we vision from our memory, we set goals that serve the past.  When we vision from our fear, we create a vision that calms our anxiety in the moment, but it won’t serve us well in the future. Because excitement and anxiety feel the same, we may mistake our excitement for fear. Our inner self is saying, YIPEE! But we hear it as, NO! STOP! BEWARE!

So how do we vision from our imagination?

There’s a magical exercise that helps you jump into your best possible self. Not the fearful one. Not the one who obsesses over every mistake and misstep. But the one who is living inside the destination you’ve always dreamed about.

For years, I’ve written about the Best Possible Future Self journaling exercise (Ken Sheldon and Sonja Lyubomirsky, in The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2006). In the study, participants wrote about their Best Possible Future Self multiple times over several weeks. Those who participated experienced a significant increase in their optimism—which helps them employ different coping strategies. That means they’re open to playing with possibilities, even when they fail. Participants also experienced feelings of well-being and decreased illness. So, wow!

Are you ready to try it? Grab your journal or laptop. Get out of your house, buy yourself a cozy beverage, and write about your future self. Write in the present tense, using as many sensory details as possible. Here’s the Best Possible Self Journaling exercise:

Write about your life as if it’s December 2026. You’ve accomplished everything you’ve hoped for. The books have been written, the speeches made, the income earned. Write in present tense about what you’ve done. Don’t forget to record how you met your personal and spiritual goals as well. Did you eat better, exercise more and meditate? Who did you connect with? What did you do for fun?

Do this writing exercise four times, so that you can get a true reading on the hopes that live inside your imagination. Try the exercise in four different places and be sure that at least once, you’re writing outside of your home.

When you’re done—let the vision rest for a few days. Then review them. Ask:

• What are the main themes?
• What projects or activities show up repeatedly?
• What dreams energize you?
• When you look at all the possibilities, what do you really want?

Once you know the answer, create a plan to reach the place you’ve imagined.

You can do it!

If you need help along the way, I have a deal on coaching sessions. Purchase a single 45-minute session for just $125. If you want to add pages, the fee is just $175. Any sessions you buy before the end of December are good through 2026. If you’re interested, contact me.