Do you have a minute? It’s a weird week, so you might have a minute.

I’m going to walk us through an imagination exercise. There is no pressure, I just want you to explore with me. Ok? Ready?  

We’re going to imagine three parallel tracks our lives could take from right here, right now. For me it’s the very end of December 2025, but whenever it is for you, let’s pretend we’re driving in each one of these tracks for about a year, and we’re going to check in on the imaginary version of us in each lane.

Lane 1:

This is the lane where not much changes in the next year. Maybe we’re still feeling what we’re feeling, believing what we’re believing, and acting like we’re acting right now, and maybe we’re hoping something shifts, but we’re not making any big moves.

• What does your daily life look like in this lane?
• What’s still working for you?
• Is anything wearing on you here?
• What does 1-year-from-now you feel like in this lane?
• What’s the best part of this path? 
• What’s the hardest?

Lane 2:
This lane is where we are trying things that push us just a little — we’re stretching our emotions, our beliefs, or our actions. There are some things in our lives still intact, but maybe there are some new things too, and the old things are not quite as front and center as they were a year ago.

• What does your daily life look like in this lane?
• What are you building or working toward?
• Who are you connecting with?
• What small action kicked this off?
• Is there any fear your brain throws up in this lane? 
• Is there a part of you that wants to try it anyway?
  

Lane 3: 

This lane is unexpected. A left-field opportunity, a reinvention, or even a relocation. The thing we can’t stop thinking about. It might seem like a detour at first, and in a year, it ends up really changing things.

• What does your daily life look like in this lane?
• What does curveball-you discover about yourself?
• Who’s surprised to see you in this lane — and who’s not surprised at all?
• Does this lane feel scary, exciting, lonely, lovely?
• If you lived in this lane for just one season, what would you gain? 
• What would you lose?
  

Now, a few reminders: 

1. There isn’t a right or wrong lane. (Really.) 

2. Every one of these lanes will have really hard things and really good things. 

3. We get to choose our attitude and how we experience each lane. 

I’m not a fan of reinvention just for reinvention’s sake. But I’m a huge fan of progress, of growth, of development, of awareness, of using our strengths in the service of ourselves and God and others, and of listening to that small, quiet voice that tells us we’re headed right where we belong.  

The folks at BetterUp give us 6 reasons why it could be a good idea to consider reinventing ourselves this next year. 

• It allows us to continue exploring new parts of ourselves. When we reinvent ourselves, it opens up the floor for new parts of who we are to emerge. Discovering new elements of our personality and values can be exciting and fulfilling.
• It helps us realize what we truly value in life. Throughout the process of reinventing ourselves, we are forced to take a deeper look at our core values. This can help identify the things we find most important in life.
• It encourages constant learning. We are never too old to learn, and self-reinvention serves as a reminder of that. No matter how old or set in our ways we might feel, reinventing ourselves can push us to learn and embrace new things.
• It makes us resilient and agile in an ever-changing world. The world keeps changing, and we move with it. Self-reinvention can shape an outlook rooted in adaptability and flexibility, helping us meet change in a practical way.
• It builds our sense of purpose. A sense of purpose adds meaning to our existence. Some people hold themselves back from enjoying life because growth feels intimidating, and self-reinvention can shift that.
• It boosts our positivity and enthusiasm for life. Life feels richer when we feel proud of who we are. Reinventing ourselves creates space to cultivate a positive mental attitude, which can become a steady and useful tool.

I can’t wait to hear which lane you found yourself lingering in, what surprised you as you imagined it, and what felt quietly true as you worked through this. And if you’d like some help sorting through what came up, I’d be glad to help.

P.S. If this exercise stirred up more questions than answers, I have several year-end reflection 

exercises on my website (including the new January letter) that are designed to slow things down and help you notice patterns, values, and themes that keep showing up. They pair well with this kind of imagining and give you a place to keep thinking on paper. And they’re completely free.

Happy New Year! And thank you for reading.