“There’s an escalator rising high into the building. This is going to take you to your life in five years’ time. As you move up you leave your life behind. Go through the door in front of you. Where are you and what are you doing?”

Nothing comes to me immediately. “Where are you living?” Anne asks me. I do feel that in this vision of my future I am happily settled in the new flat I’m due to move into soon.

“I’m in my flat,” I tell her. How does it feel? “Good,” I say with a sense that I am happy there. She asks who lives with me but I can’t get a clear vision of this. I say I don’t know, I live alone, I think.

I do see that I’m writing for a living but feel I have other things too to keep me busy. It appears that my life is good but could be better.

“Come back out of the room,” Anne tells me. “To the right of you is another door, behind that door is your ultimate self at your full potential, open it and step inside.

“Get a sense of your best possible future. Are you living somewhere else?” she asks.

The place I see is comforting and familiar and I do feel something, possibly relief or fulfilment. “I’m in my mum’s house and there are dogs there. I’m holding a baby,” I say.

“Get a sense of your partner, are you married, is it someone you know?” asks Anne. I don’t know the answer and do feel like I’m clutching at straws to reply. “How’s your career?” she continues.

“It’s going really well, I’ve written two bestsellers and I’ve managed to buy a house,” I blurt out. I don’t know whether I’m just saying this because Anne has told me that this should be my best future but I tell her I’m happy and content and this is enough for her as she brings me out of hypnosis, counting down from five. By the time she gets to one I’m fully awake.

I have to admit I’m slightly disappointed as I was expecting to see vivid images of what I would be doing in lives to come. 

However I think future life progression could be useful for motivating you to work towards your goals and I certainly left Anne in a relaxed state, more inclined to focus on the things I want to achieve in life.

“Any time you want you can step into your future to help create massive changes in your life. You’ve done really well. You’re ready to create your better future,” Anne tells me.

Although Anne is convinced she has been in touch with herself as far as 1,000 years in the future, even for those who don’t achieve that connection being able to visualise the best possible version of your life is extremely powerful.

As Paul McKenna, who wrote the foreword to Anne’s book Create Your Perfect Future, explains: “The power of your imagination affects the unconscious mind which is the source of your creativity and wisdom and controls your thoughts and behaviours which is why hypnosis or visualisation exercises are so powerful.”

As I found it hard to relax perhaps I needed more time to look deeper into my unconscious mind and unlock a clearer vision of my future.

The version I saw didn’t involve a huge stretch of the imagination but I’d be happy with a book deal, a house and even a baby in five years.

I’ve even tentatively started writing some notes for that bestseller.

Create Your Perfect Future: Heal Your Past To Create The Life Of Your Dreams, by Anne Jirsch with Anthea Courtenay, Piatkus (RRP £13.99) is available at £12.49 with free PP. Call 0871 988 8451 or visit expressbooks.co.uk

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