A letter from January 1st, 2021

Dear John, It’s January 1st 2021 today. I’m excited to be able to meet you in a few years. You’ve invited me over to talk at your new place. I hope to gain some insights from you and I hope you are someone I want to hang out with. I pull into your driveway. There is a covered porch with a couple of chairs. There’s a wide shade tree in the front yard. The landscaping is simple but well maintained. I can see a nice garage and shop back of the house at the end of the driveway. As I knock on the dark maroon front door, I hear a happy dog inside curious about the new visitor. You open the door and welcome me with a hug. Your body feels trim and strong, and you smell great. You welcome me inside and put me at ease right away. You show me around your place. There is a wood stove in the center of the wall to the left. There are a few nice pieces of furniture. The floors are hardwood with a few nice rugs here and there. There are enlarged photos and art pieces on the walls. It feels calming to be in this space. Everything is neat and clean but not overly so. The dog circles around sniffing me and seems happy to see me. I give him a few pets. The house is a modest size and simple. You invite me into the kitchen where you have coffee on. You invite me to sit at the kitchen table to talk and ask if my taste in coffee is still the same - black with a little sweetener. You look great. Trim like at age 20. You seem happy and content and are glad to see me. You bring over two mugs of coffee and settle in across the table. The fresh coffee is perfect. You are eager to hear of my current life which is a pleasant memory to you. You are grateful to see me because after this meeting today, I go on to change my life in earnest and put in motion habits that create what you are now. I go on to make tiny improvements every day going on to lose about 70 pounds, develop a love for exercise and working around the house, and create a life of physical, mental, and financial order. Everything thing I can see here today is the ultimate result on many tiny steps done with intention hour by hour. You tell me how you get up early each morning and watch the sun come up. You are down below 165 now and sleep soundly every night - no sleep apnea or stiff necks. You eat mostly oatmeal in the morning. Lunch and dinner are healthy with lots more fresh vegetables. You read a lot and your only watch an hour or less of good streaming shows each day. Your main jam now is podcasts and books and a few good Subreddits. You spend time visiting with friends, playing card games, hiking, and taking day trips. People seem more attracted to your positive outlook and want to hang with you. You advise me to invest simply - a few index funds with about half in one particular tech stock. You also tell me to keep transferring extra money into Bitcoin each month. You don’t spend a lot on stuff any longer and what you do have is of solid quality. Keep on living below your means you tell me. This allows you to have the extra money to help others in need and to donate. You tell me to really savor where you live now as you won’t be there much longer. Enjoy taking 5-6 hour driving distance weekend trips with the wife as often as you can. There really is lots to see. You tell me not to yearn for what you don’t have, but appreciate what you have now. You advise me to keep in touch with friends and family both near and far. Forgive yourself and stay clear of negative influences - including online ones. You’re going to really enjoy card games in the future. You reassure me that while it will be hard to get started, once I start forming and building up positive habits things will get a little easier each day. In a few months you tell me I’ll start seeing results. You tell me with a deep seriousness to stay the hell away from PMO. It will make such a big difference now and in the future. You tell me to forget about those that hurt you in the past: Rick E., your Dad, the painful past with your Sister, and mostly your own self-doubt. You’ve put that all behind you now with many hours of looking within and doing “the work” each day. You tell me to stay focused on only positive, good things hour by hour. I find you so easy to talk to. You are everything I’ve always wanted to be and my daily actions are what create this wonderful future life. It’s not perfect as you still have aches and pains and a few regrets that some opportunities were missed. You tell me just how much I’m going to enjoy life even in 6 months from now. You tell me you are always available at any time for a listening ear, for reassurance, and mentorship. You invite me out onto the front porch fro hang out for the rest of the afternoon with a little edible cannabis and conversation. We spend a nice day laughing with each other and watch the sun go down. As I drive away from your house I am filled with hope and a deep sense of acceptance and love of myself. Returning to the present moment, I click “Send” and start on this wonderful journey I’ve started on. I can’t wait to see what the next five years will bring. I love you, John. Thanks for being there for me.