This is Episode 231, and today I want you to imagine your life a year from now because what you do today is what creates it. I’m not talking about goals or resolutions; we’re talking about becoming someone you barely recognise in the best way possible. Let’s get into it.

If you want to do things differently but need some help making it happen, then tune in for your weekly dose of coaching from me, Maisie Hill, Master Life Coach and author of Period Power. Welcome to The Maisie Hill Experience.

Hi folks. I have been ill. I’m still a bit ill. I tried recording this podcast a few days ago, but I couldn’t complete sentences without needing to pause and take a breath. But I reckon I’m good to go today, but if I sound a bit off, that is why.

Today we’re going to be doing some work with your future self. So let’s start. I want you to pause for a second and imagine it’s June 2026 next year. Or if you’re listening to this in the future, imagine your life a year from now.

Really take a moment to travel there. You can always hit pause to do this, by the way, as long as you’re not driving. Take a moment, just go there in your mind in a year’s time. Go there in your body and connect with what you want for your life and your future self. What would you like to be different in your life in a year’s time? Not just on the surface. What are you doing without hesitation that you used to overthink or tiptoe around or worry about doing? What are you no longer tolerating?

How does your inner voice speak to you now? What do your relationships look like? Think about the relationships with your friends, your family, anyone you date or love, or live with. And how do you respond when something doesn’t go to plan? What does this future self version of you do? How do you take up space? How do you make decisions and communicate and create, and lead?

The reason I’m asking this is because this week, for the first time in a year and a half, my membership, Powerful, is open to join. And when I say join, I don’t mean dip your toes in and hope for the best. I mean, come on in and get involved with what we are doing in there. Because what can happen in a year is wild. It is life-changing on every level.

Some of the changes that I see my clients go through are very subtle, but they are definitely different. And some of the shifts are massive. So, I think it’s a combination of ordinary and extraordinary all at once. And that’s what I want to talk about today, because as I’ve been rebuilding the membership throughout this time, I’ve spent a lot of that time reflecting on the journeys that my team and I get to witness in our clients. And alongside that, I’ve inevitably been reflecting on what the last year has been like for me as I’ve been going through this process. And I shared some of the behind-the-scenes of my business decisions and what’s been going on for me in my work life in a recent episode. But today, I want to share with you what’s been going on for me in my personal life.

I want to tell you about a moment that happened recently. I think it was about a month ago now. And it came out of nowhere, and I burst into tears with happiness and pride and all the feelings. But before I get to that moment in time, I want to backtrack a bit and give you the background.

So, a year ago, I was just starting to learn how to canter my horse in the school, like the arena. So, I had bought him as a 4-year-old in February of last year. It’s now June the following year. And he was great, but he was young and inexperienced, and I’m not a lifelong rider. I started to ride, I think 2 years ago now, and I’d had a few cantering-related accidents in the past. So I was a bit nervous to even ask for canter.

And it had been a while since I’d cantered a horse because I didn’t attempt that at all the first few months that I had him. I was just doing other things with him: groundwork, walking, and trotting. And so anytime we prepared for me to canter, my body would tense up, and it was like it was trying to protect me by saying, you know, just don’t go there. This isn’t a good idea. Let’s not do this. And I imagine that’s where a lot of you are when you’re thinking about doing things in your life, like setting boundaries with people, making bold moves, changing your habits, or taking your goals seriously.

You want it, but you also remember the times that it didn’t go so well. And then that memory looms large in you. And by the way, it might even be a memory that’s nothing to do with the person or situation that’s in front of you. It could be a different person or a completely different scenario, but your body slams on the brakes to try and keep you safe, essentially from other people’s reactions.

So, this is where Buttons and I started alongside my instructor, Julia, trying to learn together, repeating things, getting it wrong, all whilst working through the fear that I had. And a lot of that time was spent going in circles, and I mean that very literally. Just going around in circles, trying to get it right, and something clicked.

So, first of all, it was the skill of asking him to canter and him getting that’s what he was meant to do. We got that figured out. And then it was teaching him how to use the correct leg first. And my instructor would be there telling me, “You’re on the wrong leg,” and I’d have to circle him around again and again until he got the right leg.

Pause there for one lesson, where I think he said I circled 14 times in a row. He got it on video. And I was short of breath, drenched in sweat, and this was the middle of winter, trying not to get frustrated, knowing that I had to see it through because we couldn’t end the lesson without him getting it correct. All whilst trying to stay soft and clear, and just like rapidly coaching myself through it whilst also listening to Julia, my instructor’s instructions. It was rough.

And along the way, there were lessons that we ended early because he’d got it right, and we were like, “Well, we have to end it there so he understands.” Lessons also where we focused on other things, nothing to do with cantering, and then we’d come back to cantering only to lose some of the gains that we’d made in the past. So, it was a really gritty process, and it didn’t look great. It didn’t feel great. In actual fact, it sucked a lot of the time. But it was also incredibly satisfying, and I wouldn’t have skipped it for the world.

And then after that, the next skill was me being able to tell if he was on the correct leg or not, rather than Julia telling me. So, the point I’m making here is that this was a collection of individual skills that, when put together in a sequence, led to a result. And this is exactly how I teach things in the membership.

But then what happened a month ago, we had this massive breakthrough because all of those skills came together for the first time ever. I asked him for canter. He picked up the wrong leg. I could tell, and then I asked him again without getting flustered, without panicking, without getting unbalanced with what I was doing, and he went on the correct leg.

And not only that, we then cantered in shallow loops. It’s like a pattern that you make around the arena. And we’ve been cantering in circles too, which is next level for me. Because in the process of learning to do this, Buttons and I have been cantering around in circles a lot of the time, but he’s been on the wrong leg. And I was cantering him in a circle whilst trying to get him onto the correct one. But now I’m talking about circling on the correct leg. There’s a big difference there.

So, this was huge for me. And right there in that lesson, whilst riding him, I just burst into tears because I suddenly saw it. I could see the shift that we’d gone through. We were now on the other side of it. And I could just look back at the hundreds of very messy steps that got us to that point. And I realised that we had arrived. We’d arrived in the place we’d been working so hard to get to for a year. And I could feel in my body the impact of that full arc of the year that we had just had together. Everything we’ve learned, what we’ve built together, and what’s now possible because we kept going, even when it sucks, especially when it sucked.

And in fact, I have the same feeling about rebuilding the membership and what that journey has been like. And to now finally be in this place where it is rebuilt. It’s there, the members are getting involved, and all of you can join. Like to get to this point is just amazing.

And what I want you to know about this is that moment of it all coming together and celebrating came up because of the full year, because of all the learning, the practicing, the tweaking, the resting, the watching videos, the rehearsing in my mind, like just when I’m doing the dishes or driving around, showing up again and again, lots of feedback, lots of correction, lots of being told I was getting it wrong, lots of support and trying again and again and again. And it required commitment and determination, but also patience and compassion towards myself, and the willingness to keep showing up through the awkward moments, the frustrating ones, and all the not-quite-there but about-to-be moments.

And after I had this lesson, I was just in this state of like euphoria and being amazed at myself and thankful for Julia, thankful for Buttons, and feeling so proud of him as well as myself. And it made me think about the difference that a year can make. And then I thought about you and where you’re at and where you could be in a year’s time. Because right now, whatever’s going on in your life, you’re standing at the start of your own year. And maybe you’ve got some dreams, some goals that you’re nervous to say out loud, or perhaps you’ve even tried them already, but you’ve got frustrated with your progress.

Or perhaps you’re doubting whether you’re doing things right, if you’ve made the correct decision, if it’s even possible for you. And I want you to know that it is. Okay? But it’s not going to happen through wishing or waiting or beating yourself up along the way. It happens the same way that my journey did.

You learn the skills, then you apply them, and that application of them might be awkward, it might be a bit inconsistent, but there’s going to be great courage there. That matters. And then you’re going to integrate them to the point that they become instinct. I promise. Then you’re going to finesse them, you’re going to refine them until you’re using them in your own way. And you know, that’s something I’m still working on with Buttons. We’re getting there, though. But that is the power of a year.

And this is what I mean when I talk about life by design versus life by default. Because life by design is intentional. You make conscious choices about who you want to become and how you want to live. You decide what you’re going to be saying yes to, what you’re going to say no to, what skills you’re committed to building in order to do that, what standards you’re raising, and what version of you that you’re growing into, and the relationship you have with yourself as you do so. Even when it’s inconvenient and messy and uncomfortable, those are the parts to grow into your relationship with yourself the most.

Whereas life by default is passive. It’s letting your old habits, your low self-concept and fears stay in charge. They are in the driver’s seat. And default, by the way, doesn’t mean catastrophic failure. I find it’s usually more subtle than that. It’s like low-grade but very persistent. Like still saying yes when you actually mean no, or tolerating a job that really drains you, or you just don’t want to be in. And still avoiding the conversations that would really transform your relationships if you had them.

And then of course, still promising yourself that you’re going to pay attention to that goal, you’re going to give it some love and TLC and make it happen when life calms down, or when you have more time, or when whatever you think is going to happen that’s going to suddenly change things.

Living by design is choosing to make messy progress instead of waiting for perfect conditions. It’s celebrating the shift instead of chasing an end result that never arrives because you’re always moving the goalposts on yourself. And it’s also doing this work from a foundation of I’m already enough. That’s where the relationship with yourself really comes into play. Because the end result is never going to arrive if you’re always thinking that you’re not good enough and doing this work from that place.

So, I talk about the importance of lessons and laps. I think I’ve actually done a podcast episode about that at some point in time. And how you need both of them. Learning the concepts is one thing, but then applying them again and again is where the shifts happen. And that’s what happens when you get your laps in. And I actually use this metaphor of swimming in the membership.

So, I talk about there being a little pool that’s safe and contained and manageable, where you can learn how to swim. And this is what it’s like to go through the Inner Odyssey, which is my course inside the membership. You get instant access to it when you sign up. And it’s a structured journey through learning to coach yourself, the mindset work, emotional capacity and range and how to build that, as well as nervous system work and working with your stress responses and hormones. So, that’s what happens in the little pool.

Then you’re going to move into the big pool. This is where there’s more depth, there’s more space, more freedom, but it’s still structured. So, this is where you get your laps in, and you practice the skills that I teach you in your life. But you’ve also got lifeguards and instructors, like me and the coaching team, keeping an eye on what’s happening, giving you feedback, and coaching you through it. So, you’re not left alone. You get unlimited personalised written coaching, live coaching calls, and so many replays that you can access anytime you fancy. And it’s a place where you can just bring your life. You’ll also have the equivalent of loads of people sat in the stands cheering for you. That is the community.

And then beyond the big pool lies the sea. This is where you’re navigating waves, learning to respond to real life. You’re using the skills in your life. Sometimes with some planning involved, but sometimes it’s on the fly because you’ve got enough experience with them that you can do this. But you can come back to the little pool and the big pool when I’m teaching on specific topics, for example, or you want to return to the foundation.

And then beyond the sea, where you’re in the currents of life, there’s the bigger open ocean where you’re so much further out than you ever expected to be. This is the place that you can’t even imagine right now. But the learning, the practising, and the tweaking of these skills will lead you to that place. And you will end up there thinking, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I even got to this place. I didn’t know this was even an option for me.” It’s just incredible to see this happening for people.

But most of you are used to either clinging to the edge of the little pool or throwing yourself into the ocean with no support, no plan, and wondering why it’s so exhausting. And most people don’t give themselves enough time to change. They expect to learn a skill, apply it instantly, and it go fantastically, no issues whatsoever, and they get consistent, amazing results. And sometimes that is how it pans out. And it’s amazing when it does, and it can catch people by surprise that it can be that easy and that straightforward.

So, results can come quickly, but it’s not always like that. And when that doesn’t happen, they then tell themselves that it didn’t work, or, you know, it didn’t go right. I’m not cut out for this. It works for everyone else, but not me. Some version of that. It’s essentially counting yourself out. But these things aren’t personality traits, they’re skills, and you just haven’t learned them yet. You haven’t had them modelled to you. So, you just need to learn them, practice them, and then you end up living them. And you get to have them modelled to you by me, the coaches, and everyone else in the community, because we’re in this together.

And that’s what a year inside Powerful does. So, let’s go back to that vision for your life in June 2026 or a year from now. Are you still trying to fix the same problem? Are you still holding yourself back because of what people might think about you and how they’ll react? And still hoping that things are going to change, but not actually changing anything? Or do you want to be someone who decided to go all in, and then after a year of coaching, practising, getting support, seeing yourself differently, doing things differently, you can’t believe how far you’ve come?

Because when you’re in that place, you won’t even remember the last time that you agonised over a decision, because you’ll be used to working through them. And you’ll kind of laugh at how much time you used to spend on worrying and overthinking. I know that’s true for me. Like, oh my gosh, I wasted so much time. Thank goodness I changed things. And your body will know when something is the right thing to do or not, and you will listen to it. That is the gift of a year.

You will be surprised in a year’s time what becomes second nature to you, and by what no longer scares you, and by what you’re now able to hold, what you have the capacity for, what you’re able to create in your life. And you don’t even need to believe that it’s all possible right now. You just have to want it. You just need to decide to get in the saddle. That’s what it is.

So, this is your invitation to spend the next year with me inside Powerful. You will learn how to coach yourself, but you won’t be doing it alone. You’ll be coached by me and our incredible team. We have got your back.

We’re going to be doing power classes on topics like decision making, boundaries, people pleasing, visibility, relationships, and so much more. And we’re going to help you apply everything that I teach so that you can integrate it, finesse it, and celebrate it. Because we have a big culture of celebration in the community, and you’re going to be a part of that too.

So, you can join for 6 months, get started with 6 months, or you can join for the full year and get 2 months free. But beyond that, you’re going to be giving yourself a full year to change everything. That’s what’s possible. I’ve seen it in thousands of clients. I’ve lived it myself, and I want it for you.

So, you’ll start with the Inner Odyssey, but you’re not just going through a course collecting information. This course is designed for you to use it. And that’s exactly what you’ll do because it’s simple and it’s practical, and you will see the impact of using what I teach you very quickly. And you’ll get coached on using them. That means live classes and workshops where you build new skills around boundaries, decision making, emotional resilience, all the things. And then dedicated coaching calls where you can either get coached directly or from seeing others get coached. This is where the magic happens. I love getting to see the ripple effect of one person getting coached.

And then of course, there’s the unlimited one-on-one written coaching through Ask a Coach that you can get as part of your membership. You’ll never stay stuck because the coaches are always there to coach you. And the community energy is going to inspire and lift you up on the days where you feel a bit wobbly, and it gives you a place to celebrate hard as well. We are big on celebration.

So, whether you sign up for 6 months or a year, you will get the skills, you will get the coaching, you will get the community. You’ll get the support you need, not just when things are easy, but when life happens, because life will happen. And when it does, that’s the real test. Not who you are when everything’s going smoothly, but who you are when it’s hard. And you have the skills to show up anyway.

So, if you want to make this your year, join us. The doors are open. I cannot wait to see what you build. Go to maisiehill.com/powerful or click the link in the show notes to join us, because a year is going to pass either way. And I want you to spend it becoming who you came here to be. So, give yourself a year and see what becomes possible. I will see you on the inside of the membership, and I will be back here next week. I’ll catch you then.

Hey, if you love listening to this podcast then come and check out my membership, Powerful, where you get my best resources and all the coaching you need to transform your inner and outer life. Sign up to the waitlist at maisiehill.com/powerful, and I’ll see you in the community.