Step 1 of 6 — Live in the Present

The first mirror you must face before becoming who you want to be.

“Before you can decide who you want to be, you must first see clearly where you are right now.”

I believe we all have a pretty clear vision of who we want to be. If we close our eyes for a moment and let ourselves imagine that version of us, we can picture their values, habits, lifestyle, confidence, boundaries, and sense of purpose.

But when we open our eyes and come back to reality, that image can leave a bitter taste. The distance between who we are and who we want to be often feels discouraging. And in that space between vision and reality, frustration, anger, sadness, and even fear start to grow.

So how do we live a balanced life while chasing that ideal version of ourselves?

Imagine identity as a GPS. We’ve all used one—and even if you haven’t, you probably know how it works. If I live in Orlando and let’s say my ideal self is in Apopka—a place I’ve never visited yet. That version of ourselves we dream about is often just like that—somewhere we haven’t been before.

If I want to get to Apopka, I’ll need to open the GPS to find the route. Once I do, it’ll show me exactly how to get there. Pretty simple, right? I just need two things: a destination and a starting point.

But here’s what most people forget—the system can’t guide you anywhere if it doesn’t know where you’re starting from. Without a clear location, there’s no route. The starting point is essential—maybe even more important than the destination—because that’s where every journey begins.

Identity works the same way. It’s great to know who you want to become, but it’s even more important to understand who you are today. After all, the “future you” will only be the result of the actions and decisions of your “present you.”

So how do you find out who you are right now?

Observe. Take notes. Don’t judge yourself. Don’t justify anything. Just watch—your behavior, your habits, your passions, your work, your moods, your values. Write it all down.

Then, for each of these fragments of yourself, ask a simple question: Does this bring me closer to the person I want to become—or further away?

That’s the first step toward real change: to know and fully live your present self, so that the future you dream of can finally begin to take shape.

MIRROR WITHIN — Step 1: Live in the Present

Before moving forward, take a moment to look around you — and within you.
The first step toward change isn’t movement, but awareness.

Ask yourself:

• What does my life look like today — not in my dreams, not in my plans, but in reality?

• Which parts of my daily routine feel heavy, and which feel alive?

• What do I avoid seeing about myself because it feels uncomfortable?

• What am I grateful for right now, in this exact version of me?

🪞 Reflection Exercise
Find a quiet place and write down five sentences that begin with “Right now, I am…”
Don’t overthink them.
Write honestly, without trying to sound wise or strong.
Then read them out loud.

This is your mirror for today — not to judge, but to see.

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If this first mirror resonated with you, and want to continue the exploration of living fully your identity, the full guide is available on Gumroad, for as less as $0 or tip whatever you want:

This six-part path is designed to help you understand who you are, and who you are becoming.

With clarity,
The Mirror Room
Odel A.