My Tomorrow Self
by 
Each New Year’s Eve I used to brood
On my misdoings of the past,
And vowed: “This year I’ll be so good –
Well, haply better than the last.”
My record of reforms I read
To Mum who listened sweetly to it:
“Why plan all this, my son?” she said;
“Just do it.”
Of her wise words I’ve often thought –
Aye, sometimes with a pang of pain,
When resolutions come to naught,
And high resolves are sadly vain;
The human heart from failure bleeds;
Hopes may be wrecked so that we rue them . . .
Don’t let us dream of lovely deeds –
Just do them.
And so, my son, uphold your pride.
Believe serenely in your soul.
Just take things in a steady stride,
Until behold! you’ve gained your goal.
But if, perchance, you frame a plan
Of conduct, let it be a free one:
Don’t try to make yourself a man –
Just be one.
– “Resolutions” by Robert William Service
Every year across the globe, New Year’s resolutions are made, and New Year’s resolutions are broken. I wager that 2026 will be no exception. Men and women and boys and girls everywhere will plan to make their “tomorrow self” better than their “today self”. Such resolve is most admirable. Yet many fail to realize this one simple fact: one’s “tomorrow self” is determined by one’s “today self”. Bound by the laws of time and space, we humans only every really live in “today”. Just as soon as “tomorrow” arrives, well…it’s not really “tomorrow” anymore, is it? Mr. Service’s mother spoke well when she said, “why plan all this, my son? Just do it.” She understood that the only way young Robert could ever change his “tomorrow self” was by changing his “today self”, for tomorrow follows today.
In my homemaking, I spend a great deal of time thinking about My Tomorrow Self. Many nights I have felt tired and been tempted to leave a task partially or completely unfinished. To my husband’s great amusement, I am often known to say, “but if I do this now, my tomorrow self will thank me for it!” Whether it’s wiping a surface, loading the dishwasher, or putting away a load of laundry, I am always pleased with myself when I power through and “just do it.” True to the previous night’s prediction, I wake up the next day applauding my “yesterday self” for making life a bit easier for my “today self”.
As we welcome another New Year, are you starting to think about your “tomorrow self”? Are you wondering what life will be like for her? Are you questioning whether your “2026 self” is slated to be in a better place than your “2025 self”? To find answers, you don’t need to consult a crystal ball. You don’t need to consult your horoscope. You don’t need to consult the local fortune-teller. If you are wanting to know about your “tomorrow self”, what you need to be doing is consulting your “today self”. In this month’s article, My Tomorrow Self, I will be sharing 3 “predictions” that I have for my New Year. May it help you to stop focusing so much on planning and start focusing more on doing.
This is how I foresee My Tomorrow Self, 2026 edition. #1:
She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. – Proverbs 31:17
The state of My Tomorrow Self‘s soma depends largely on the choices I make for my soma today.
My Tomorrow Self will be healthy because today I am eating nutritious foods. I am nourishing my body with clean eating, and keeping my intake of processed sugar and chemicals low.
My Tomorrow Self will be healthy because today I am executing portion control. I am eating to live (rather than living to eat), and having the self-discipline to know when I’ve eaten my fill.
My Tomorrow Self will be healthy because today I am getting enough exercise. I am moving my body regularly, and resisting the temptation to be lazy.
My Tomorrow Self will be healthy because today I am strictly monogamous. I am staying faithful to my husband, and guarding our sexuality.
My Tomorrow Self will be healthy because today I am rejecting substance abuse. I am free from addiction, and not enslaved to cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs.
If you want to know about the healthfulness of your “tomorrow self”, then take a long, hard look at your “today self”. Are the choices you are making today paving the way for her better tomorrow?
“Why plan all this, my son?” she said; “Just do it.” Your “tomorrow self” will thank you for it!
[Disclaimer: Allow me to remind you that today’s points are merely “predictions“. Any one of us can become sick, sustain injuries, and even die in spite of healthy somatic choices. I am neither claiming that healthy choices make us invincible, nor that each and every health struggle is the consequence of unhealthy choices. What I am saying is that healthy choices better our chances for future success.]
This is how I foresee My Tomorrow Self, 2026 edition. #2:
She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. – Proverbs 31:13
The state of My Tomorrow Self‘s soul depends largely on the choices I make for my soul today.
My Tomorrow Self will be happy because today I am honing my abilities. I am focusing on areas of skill that I want to improve, and figuring out how to proceed from good to great.
My Tomorrow Self will be happy because today I am building relationships. I am making room for like-minded individuals in my life, and limiting contact with toxic people.
My Tomorrow Self will be happy because today I am practicing gratitude. I am taking note of the blessings in my life, and finding reasons to rejoice in spite of my sorrows.
My Tomorrow Self will be happy because today I am living in the moment. I am mentally present for my daily activities, and not obsessing over what’s next on the agenda.
My Tomorrow Self will be happy because today I am prioritizing self-care. I am taking the time to do some of the hobbies that I enjoy, and not allowing myself to burn out.
If you want to know about the happiness of your “tomorrow self”, then take a long, hard look at your “today self”. Are the choices you are making today paving the way for her better tomorrow?
“Don’t let us dream of lovely deeds – Just do them.“ Your “tomorrow self” will thank you for it!
This is how I foresee My Tomorrow Self, 2026 edition. #3:
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. – Proverbs 31:30
The state of My Tomorrow Self‘s spirit depends largely on the choices I make for my spirit today.
My Tomorrow Self will be holy because today I am reading my Bible. I am seeking God’s will through His written word, and aligning myself with the eternal principles I find therein.
My Tomorrow Self will be holy because today I am praying ceaselessly. I am petitioning the Lord for the needs of my future, and praising Him for present and past blessings.
My Tomorrow Self will be holy because today I am cultivating femininity. I am living out my faith in a way that is distinctly female, and carrying the banner for Biblical Gender Ethics.
My Tomorrow Self will be holy because today I am fostering trust. I am placing my hope in the perfect timing of God’s plan, and believing that He will never desert or forsake me.
My Tomorrow Self will be holy because today I am serving others. I am looking for needs that I can meet, and lightening the load of my fellow man when it is in my power to do so.
If you want to know about the holiness of your “tomorrow self”, then take a long, hard look at your “today self”. Are the choices you are making today paving the way for her better tomorrow?
“Don’t try to make yourself a [wo]man – Just be one.“ Your “tomorrow self” will thank you for it!
In conclusion…
Do you want your “2026 self” to be healthy, happy, and holy? Forget the crystal ball. Forget the horoscope. Forget the local fortune-teller. Only your “today self” has the power to predict the future for your “tomorrow self”. The choices you make today for your soma, soul, and spirit are carving out her reality. On those weary days when you just don’t feel like showing up, you have to remind yourself, “but if I do this now, my tomorrow self will thank me for it.” You have to start treating your “tomorrow self” like you would your best friend. Power through. Don’t give up. Just do it…for her.
I get to make the call on whether or not my “2026 self” is healthy, happy, and holy. At the end of the day (literally and figuratively), My Tomorrow Self is me. And because of who I choose to be today…
…she smiles at the future. – Proverbs 31:25b
For God’s glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks
Chaste Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.
