The 'Then' Version and 'Now' Version Of You

I had a deeply inspiring conversation with a new friend and nonprofit leader named Ariel Moore. Ariel got into the story that has brought her to the work she does today, supporting people in recovery and giving them the resources and humanity they need to make positive change to their life.

Her message about the topic is compelling because Ariel herself was a drug addict, squatting in a vacant lot, and squandering her life away. That was until the police came, brought her to jail, and took her child away from her.

But with years of support and dedication, she has recovered and returned to be really effective in helping people like who she used to be, because she knows what it’s like intimately well.

As she reflected on her life and circumstances, she viewed it from two different perspectives - The ‘then’ version of and the ‘now’ version of herself.

It’s a testament to how we can change as people. We all have that past version of ourselves who at some point made a bad decision, was unethical or out of integrity, or somehow existed in a way we aren’t proud of. Some people let that history control the present.

But what Ariel proves, and what’s fundamentally true, is that you can change as a person. In fact it’s expected! Our interests, morals, values, lifestyle - everything changes with time. So don’t get hung up on letting who you used to be keep you from becoming who you can be.

It’s almost helpful to see the ‘then’ version of you as a separate person. Someone else operating from a different level of awareness with different priorities and characteristics. You can’t change the ‘then’ version of you, but you can do everything about the ‘now’ version of you.

And I’ve got a feeling that who you are today has a whole lot to offer the world!