During my coaching training, and when I work with my clients, I often use a couple of tools I learned: Future Self and Life Purpose.

Here’s a dramatically abbreviated overview: In defining one’s Future Self you participate in a visualization that allows you to imagine what you’ll be like in 5, 10, 20 years. It provides substantial imagery and a comforting look at what’s coming. At the end of the visualization, you’re asked to give your Future Self a name. I chose Wise Woman.

The Life Purpose exercise incorporates some of the Future Self images as well as identifying a peak moment in your past. Through a process that is challenging and fun (again, I’m abbreviating), a life purpose statement is formulated. Mine is: I am the midwife who helps you deliver your creative ideas.

Here’s the ta-dah. In the current issue of O magazine I came across this sentence on p. 169: The French word for midwife is sage-femme, wise woman.

Felt like an exclamation point from the Universe.