How To Write A Letter To Your Future Self

Have you ever thought to write a letter to your future self? The act of journaling is something that we should all practice and now is the time to get started.

If you’re ever feeling down or unworthy, try writing a love letter to your future self. You’ll be surprised by all the healing that can take place.

In this wide world, we are all looking for validations from others. We want to be appreciated by others, to be loved, and cared for.

But today, I’m going to tell you a truth – in life, the only love you need is your own.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the regularities, we tend to be so busy with our surroundings that we often forget to focus on ourselves.

As someone who loves being around others, I sometimes find myself detached from my inner self.

Especially amidst the pandemic, when people across the world were forced to stay indoors and life almost came to a standstill, I found myself to be lost most of the time.

I was going through a rough time, figuring out why I was feeling unfulfilled in spite of doing all that I wanted to do.

I would sometimes get sad and depressing thoughts coming in and out. The weird thing is, I’d mostly ignore them. I would ignore the thoughts because I couldn’t understand the root of it all.

Learning the process to write a letter to your future self

During the lockdown, I started attending the virtual writing workshops hosted by the famous poet, Rupi Kaur.

She mostly focused on freewriting, where she would give us prompts and we’d have to create something based on that.

In one such workshop, she told us to imagine our mind, body, and soul to be three different entities (read, persons) and write about a conversation between them.

During that session, I realized that my mind wanted something, the body wanted something else, and the soul was looking for another thing.

The contradictions were stark – and that’s when I realized that I’ve possibly never paid so much attention to the thoughts that are essentially mine and revolves just around me.

I know that the idea of writing a letter to your future self might seem to be a little weird, but once you start doing it, I’m sure that you’ll fall in love with the practice.
As I started writing to myself, it seemed like I was getting to know the inner me, more closely.

Although I could talk to friends for hours, there were things that I just wanted to share with myself – and writing was the best way to pour my thoughts out.

I felt liberated as I started writing letters to myself, and here are a few writing prompts to get you started:

• Write a letter to yourself to be opened 6 months from today. In that letter, address all your current worries and concerns.
• Pretend that you are in the future, old and wise. Now write a letter from that old, wise you to the present you. What advice does the wise you have for ‘you’ of today?
• Write a letter to yourself about things — memorable and funny — that you want to remember in the future. Write that letter as if you are telling a friend about these things. Date it to be read 2-5 years in the future.

When you complete your letter, seal it in an envelope and give it a date to be opened and read.

Write a reminder on your calendar to open the letter and, of course, make sure to keep it someplace you can access later.

Having said that, I would love to take this opportunity and share a snippet of an open letter that I wrote to my future self during the lockdown, that I plan to re-read in 2032 (exactly 12 years from now!).

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Dear Me,

The world looks uncertain but you and I go way back, to the beginning. We’re one hundred percent connected in a way no one will -or could ever – understand.

We’ve been there, standing together through thick and thin. Sometimes crying in the shower, sometimes laughing our lungs out, sometimes snorting through our nose, falling in love and falling out of love – but it’s always been you and me.

I know that times have changed. I left you floundering on your own, to rely on love and encouragement and strength from others – from strangers – when it was I who should have held you up.

When it was I who should have hugged you and praised you and appreciated you for the wondrous person you are – for all the beauty and life you bring to this world.

I seldom tell you how much I love you. How much I admire you. How beautiful and caring and intelligent and strong you are.

That you are my hero. That you are stronger than you can ever imagine. That you’re aging in the most gorgeous way possible. That you’re kinder than you believe.

I know you are disappointed and sometimes feel like a failure or that it is all your fault. But the truth is: You are not a failure nor could you ever be.

You will persevere and come out on the other side more ‘You’ than you’ve ever been before.

As you are about to knock on the doors of your 30s, life will start rolling differently – and that difference would be incredible.

The pandemic will be over, and you’ll soon feel the wind beneath your wings.

You’ll go to places you wish to see and you’ll meet all the people you never knew.

There would be sunny days reminding you of the times we’ve spent together, walking back from school when mom would wait for you. And there would be dull days when you’ll feel lonely.

But in all of those, we’ll be together – you and I, like always.

Love, forever.
Me.

——-

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If you’re ever feeling down or unworthy, try writing a love letter to your future self. You’ll be surprised by all the healing that can take place.

And you can take it one step ahead, making a gratitude journal for yourself, where you can note down little things that you’re grateful for.

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