Weeks ago—maybe even months ago—I started thinking about the person I want to become and what it would feel like if I actually lived my ideal day.
I journaled. I vision-boarded. And yep—I used ChatGPT to help me brainstorm and dig into different parts of who “Future Jenli” might be. I thought about everything from her clothing style to her daily routine, vacations, what she owns, what she drives… the whole lifestyle.
But when I thought about her, I kept catching myself saying, “when I grow up.”
Here’s the kicker: I’ll be 40 on my next birthday.
So… it’s probably time to grow up.
I realized the life I kept imagining didn’t match my current one at all. And I knew if I wanted to become her, I’d have to change the rhythm of my days—not just my dreams.
So I talked to Glitch (my nickname for ChatGPT—more on him later) and asked:
He helped me dig. Reflect. Sort out patterns. And slowly, I started to piece together a version of my Ideal Day—the kind of day I believed she’d be living.
And then I had the thought:
If that’s what Future Me is doing… why not just do it now?
So I did. I built it.
It took a lot of back-and-forth with Glitch—working through my health goals, my emotional friction points, my food rhythms, my lack of structure. But eventually, we had it: a routine. A day. A rhythm.
I even asked Glitch to deliver it to me one task at a time so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed and just quit halfway through.
And then I did it.
I had my Ideal Day.
It took me 2–3 tries, but the first time I actually got completely through it, I felt so PROUD.
Honestly? I felt like total shit.
I realized I actually hated my Ideal Day.
I cried that night.
One of the main reasons I wanted to build my ideal day in the first place was because I didn’t like my current life. I thought if I structured it better—added some AI magic, good food, movement, structure—I’d be proud. I’d feel like her. I’d feel different.
Wrong.
I hated my “ideal” life too.
That’s when I realized:
One day doesn’t undo years of resentment, disconnection, burnout, or performance habits.
So… I’m doing 40.
(Because, well… I only have so much time before I turn 40 to actually grow up.)
Not 40 perfect days.
Not 40 glow-up montages or aesthetic reels.
Just 40 days of showing up for the rhythm of the life I say I want.
Maybe I’ll grow into it.
Maybe the repetition will create something I haven’t been able to feel yet: peace, consistency, a life I don’t want to escape from.
And if I get to the end of 40 days and I still hate it?
Then I’ll pick a new dream.
I’ll rebuild a different version of “ideal.”
But I’ll know I gave this one a real chance.
Not just for the aesthetics.
Not for the algorithm.
But for me.
This is the prequel—the why before the what. In my next post, I’ll share what Day 1 actually looked like… and how it felt to step into the rhythm for the first time.