The YES Course

Activity 3.3: Ideal Future Self

ACTIVITY THREE
Ideal Future Self
Purpose	Learning Outcome	Materials	Time
The purpose of this activity is to enable participants to connect with their future ideal self, to tap into personal motivations and connect these to behaviours they are doing or need to change.	Participants will be able to connect to their future ideal self and use this to harness the power of their personal motivation.	Paper, pens & markers	20 minutes

	Method
	Invite the participants to sit comfortably in a chair with an A4 piece of paper and pen. Ask them to imagine their ideal future self in 5 years time and what they will be doing. Ask them to write down in as much detail as they can think of, what their average day would look like and feel like. How would their day start? What would they be doing? Who would be with them? What brings them joy and happiness? At the end of the process, ask them to write down if there is anything they need to ‘Stop doing’ or ‘Start doing’ to be in that place in 5 years time? Link the participants ‘Ideal Future Self’ back to Positive Sexual Health as being part of that Ideal Self, for example the relationships they build, both friendships and romance, being part of that Ideal Future Self.
	Reflection and Close
	In the large group discuss: What was it like to imagine yourself like this? Is there anything that surprised you doing the exercise? What did it feel like as you did the exercise? Is it motivating to think of yourself in this way? Why is that? What motivates you to become this ideal version of yourself? Do you think it is easy to get taken off course? How can young people, in the face of so many influences find their way to who they want to be? What skills or supports would a young person need to help them to realise their future ideal self?

Activity 3.2: Decision-Making