The 100 Years Club Installment #126: Nancy’s Real View Therapy

In 2018, I wrote an article for Thrive Global about how looking back can help us move forward.

Because this month’s theme is “HELP,” I’m upcycling the seven tips I published then. After all, some of the best content, like plastic deli containers, can be repurposed.

The “Rear-View Therapy” topic arose this week when I met my friend Emily for coffee. We first connected in 2017 when I spent a weird year in Minneapolis, and we were both kind of stressed and lost. She became a close friend and the co-author of one of my books.

I followed her personal and professional journey since then, and when we met, we reminded each other how far we’ve come and what a wild and winding path we have both been on. But, most importantly, we talked about where we plan to go next (not Minnesota!) and what we will accomplish over the next year.

Dwelling on the past is way different from analyzing where you’ve been and where you want to go.

The Thrive article revolved around a “nostalgia trip” to my old NYC ‘hood.  These are the tips I offered:

1. Pick a place from years gone by. It works if you’re 20, 50, or 100.
2. Bring a smartphone or even a camera. Remember those?
3. Although you can go with a friend, taking the journey solo can be especially enjoyable because you can go anywhere meaningful to you.
4. As you visit places from your past, think about how you felt when you were there. What gave you joy? Think positive thoughts! Although sometimes you may choose to fully immerse yourself in memories, some things (like Tasti De-Lite, one of the staples of my diet at one point) can remain in the past. I stood before my old office building and remembered how I learned to write short-form content, a skill I now pass to interns.
5. Take lots of photos (for your private collection, sharing online, or delighting/boring your friends and relatives with your memories).
6. Think about the reasons why certain buildings and brands have lasted. How can you apply those lessons to your own life and business?
7. When you return, jot down all the things you’ve learned over the years and — most importantly — how to apply that learning to the subsequent phases of your life.

But you don’t have to leave your home or laptop to chart your journey. In fact, I used my Canva AI skills to craft the (below) infographic history of my marketing company. I am also crafting a private one that illustrates the progress in my personal life.

A fan of streaming Netflix series, I sometimes view each phase of my life as simply an “episode” and my next move as the “trailer” (coming attractions) for the future.

As I’ve learned, planning too far in advance can be pointless. Sh*t happens and we need to reflect and detour. Just as in those series, life can “jump the shark.”

Resilience and forward motion are key!

So, think about your past and future, and check back every week to see where I’m going.

On May 17th, 2026, you’ll discover how the next twelve months shaped our lives!