Befriending Your Future Self
Thu Feb 05 2026
Why do we “self-ghost” our future? Neuroscience shows our brains often view our future selves as strangers or distant acquaintances. This disconnect makes it easy to favor immediate thrills over long-term security. This episode focuses on building a “mental bridge” to ensure your future self “fist pumps with joy”.
Key Takeaways:
* Visual Nudges: Using age-progressed photos as a phone background can increase retirement contributions by up to 16–21%.
* Future Diary: Write a detailed entry from your future perspective using sensory details to make your goals feel “palpable”.
* Financial Self-Care: Reframe planning as a form of “future self-love” rather than restriction.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drryana.substack.com
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Why do we “self-ghost” our future? Neuroscience shows our brains often view our future selves as strangers or distant acquaintances. This disconnect makes it easy to favor immediate thrills over long-term security. This episode focuses on building a “mental bridge” to ensure your future self “fist pumps with joy”. Key Takeaways: * Visual Nudges: Using age-progressed photos as a phone background can increase retirement contributions by up to 16–21%. * Future Diary: Write a detailed entry from your future perspective using sensory details to make your goals feel “palpable”. * Financial Self-Care: Reframe planning as a form of “future self-love” rather than restriction. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drryana.substack.com