my future me essay

Dear Future Me: The Letter to My Future Self

Dear Future Me, 

How are things? I hope you are still alive, reading this letter. How are your parents and brother? What is your take on the meaning of life? Did you ever figure out what you want to be in life? I know these are an ample number of questions. However, I am proud of you and hope you continue to be good towards others. 

My number one hope as of now is to improve my mental health. At times, I am not in the best state. It has become increasingly difficult for me to explain how I feel. When asked about my feelings, I always seem to put it off for another time. A goal and intention of mine is to become a pediatrician. I have a reasonable amount of patience with others, which would be valuable if I were to work with children. As for fears, the primary fear that holds me back in life is the fear of failure. Even though failure makes you better, it still affects me. Even with minor mistakes, I undermine myself and end up doubting my abilities. Reflecting on myself, I like how I have a tough exterior. I respect how I am not one to be broken down by the words of others, nor am I one to cry over small matters. However, what I dislike about myself is my body. I have trouble gaining weight and do not have the tall and fit body that other guys have, merely because of my genetics. That being said, I am proud of myself for numerous reasons. I am proud of how I have grown, how I treat other people, and how I handle myself in different situations. I am a quiet and reserved person, but with any conflicts I have in life, I continue to remind myself to be a good person no matter what. 

My home is a red-colored brick two-story home with four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a two-car garage, and a medium-sized backyard. Some of the unique features in my house include a media room and a study room. My bedroom is relatively small, but not too small. The walls have a unique shape, making a right trapezoid shape. The walls are painted cream, with my bed just a little left from the center of the back wall. At the front of the room is a regular-sized window looking out into the neighbor’s backyard. To the very front left locates my desk with my computer, and to the very right stands my dresser. My school is not very far from my house, being four minutes away. It is a public high school with programs such as Collegiate and P-Tech. At home, my regular chores include taking out the trash and washing the dishes. On the weekends, I wipe and vacuum the house and organize laundry for the rest of my family too. Compared to my family, I am not as religious as them. The rest of my family is Buddhist, but I do not know where I stand with religion. I have not ever looked deep into religious beliefs, yet I hope I do in the future. 

Some of my hobbies consist of cooking, listening to music, and watching shows. My main pastime is just being on my phone and texting or calling others. I also like to spend time with my family if they have free time. At times when I am alone, I enjoy working out. I would much rather work out when I am alone since my parents would usually barge in and get me to do things for them. They would expect me to work out more often if they catch me, making it feel like more of a chore than a hobby. When I am with my friends, I frequently go out to different places like the mall or the movies. However, because of COVID, I have not been able to hang out with them much outside of school. Whenever I am at school, I like to catch up and joke around with them, hoping to build a better relationship with my friends. On the weekends, I typically spend time on myself. I end up staying up for a while and waking up late in the afternoon. I also catch up on any episodes I missed watching because of school. However, if there is any schoolwork I need to complete, I make sure to finish it before relaxing. 

There are many important people in my life. My family means the most to me out of anyone. My mother and father both raised me and made many sacrifices for me. For instance, my mother had dropped out of school to take care of me when other family members did not want to. I only have one sibling, my brother named “B.” We are not generally close, mainly due to his job and college. Still, I do try to make time to spend with him. My grandparents also mean much to me, especially my grandma on my father’s side. Many of my relatives try to degrade her for her past, no matter what measures she takes to better herself. She is a strong woman who still cares for others, even if she does not receive the same respect back. I do not have many close friends, but two people I hope to remain close with in the future are K. L. and R. S. I have known Kennedy since middle school, and she has always found a way to cheer me up. R. is like an older brother figure and has always been nothing but genuine to me. There is also one person who I would like to get to know better. Her name is L., and she seems cool enough. She is a good person from what I have heard, so I would appreciate the chance to get to know her if I could. 

I was born at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas, on April 30, 2007. Before I was born, the doctors told my mother that she had uterine fibroids, which could lead to her never having another kid. The doctors told her to have another child quickly before it was too late. I have resided in Garland, Texas for all my life. In Garland, I had some of the best memories. One of the most prominent childhood accidents and memories was when I was six. I had hit my head into my mom’s car door by accident when running to the house. It was an amusing memory since I had ended up not crying once, even though my forehead was bleeding dangerously. Even so, these suitable memories in Garland had come with unpleasant memories as well. Growing up, I did not have the best experience in school. I was continuously bullied in school due to my race. I was one of only three Asian students in my elementary school and that led to the troubles I endured. I had gotten hit, played around with, mocked, and called names by other students. Bullying has become a crucial part of my life. It sounds terrible, but bullying has also been a good thing. These experiences have given me another reason to move forward in life. There will be people who try to tear you down, and letting them get to you is just benefiting them. These issues that I have encountered have influenced me to become a better and stronger person, and I hope you, future M., continue to grow in the future. 

I predict that in high school, I will maintain high grades. I also see that I will be on a sports team of any sort. I envision I would get a certification through the GRCTC pharmacy technician program, allowing me to obtain a higher-paying job after graduation. Non-school-related, I would like to see myself completing driving school and receiving my driver’s license. After high school, I would like to continue my college years and pursue a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. After getting a bachelor’s degree, I would graduate from medical school and finish a residency program to become a pediatrician. If possible, in-between or after my college years, I want to be on a reality competition television show of some sort. A show like Big Brother or Survivor would be an enjoyable opportunity to compete with others to win money, allowing me to pay for any tuition fees if I were to win. With all this said, my long-range intention in life is to live a successful life and be a role model for others. I wish to get married, start a family, and help them live better lives. 

Again, I am proud of you, future M. No matter what circumstances you are in, you are always on top of things. You continue to be a good person, not only to yourself but to others. Please stay well, and I wish you the best in all your future endeavors. 

Sincerely, 

Past M. 

PS: “Go tell your favorite high school teacher goodbye and especially go tell Mr. N. thank you for making you write this letter.”

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Writing a Letter to Your Future Self: Benefits, Guide, and Template

Writing a letter to our future selves is a simple yet profound practice that has the power to transform our lives.

 This act of self-expression serves as a conduit to our innermost thoughts, allowing us to capture our hopes, fears, and desires in a tangible form. By embarking on this journey of self-reflection, we open ourselves up to the possibility of profound personal growth and positive change. In this article, we delve into the remarkable impact of writing a letter to your future self and explore how this practice can shape the trajectory of your life.

3 Reasons to Write a Letter to Your Future Self: Benefits

1. reflection and self-awareness.

Writing a letter to your future self provides a unique opportunity for reflection and self-awareness. By capturing your current thoughts, emotions, and experiences, you gain insight into who you are at this moment in time. This act of self-reflection allows you to understand your desires, fears, and motivations, enabling you to navigate your life with greater clarity and purpose.

2. Goal Setting and Intentions

One of the remarkable benefits of writing a letter to your future self is the ability to set clear goals and intentions. As you pen your thoughts, dreams, and aspirations, you articulate your vision for the future. This goal-setting process helps you identify what truly matters to you and creates a roadmap for achieving your desired outcomes. The act of writing down your goals significantly increases your commitment to them, making you more likely to take the necessary steps to turn them into reality.

3. Personal Growth and Transformation

Revisiting the letter to your future self allows you to witness your personal growth and transformation over time. Months or even years later, as you open the letter, you gain a fresh perspective on your past self. You can celebrate the progress you've made, acknowledge the challenges you've overcome, and recognize the person you've become. This powerful reminder of your resilience and personal evolution serves as motivation to continue growing and striving toward your dreams.

How to Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Choose a meaningful timeframe.

Select a timeframe for your letter that aligns with your goals. You may opt for a year, five years, or even a decade into the future. Consider both long-term and short-term perspectives to capture different aspects of your life journey.

Find a Quiet and Inspiring Environment

Create a calm and distraction-free space for writing your letter. Find a place that inspires you and allows your thoughts to flow freely. Consider incorporating elements such as soothing music, scented candles, or natural surroundings to enhance your creativity and introspection.

Reflect on Your Current State

Take the time to reflect on your current thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Explore your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. Use this opportunity to gain clarity about what you want to achieve and the person you want to become.

Set Clear Goals and Intentions

Define specific goals and aspirations in your letter. Be clear about what you want to accomplish and the steps you plan to take to achieve them. Write down your intentions with conviction, and visualize the future you desire.

Express Your Emotions and Dreams

Let your emotions flow onto the paper. Be authentic and vulnerable as you share your hopes, fears, and dreams. Use this letter as a safe space to express yourself fully and honestly.

In the TED video below, Meg Jay shares the essential questions to ask your future self thus enabling your present and future to align so you can start achieving your goals.

Use the ‘GROW’ Template for Writing To Your Future Self

G - Gratitude and Reflection

R - Realizations and Lessons Learned

O - Outlook and Aspirations

W - Wishes and Dreams

Now let's break down each step of the acronym:

G - Gratitude and Reflection:

Express gratitude for the experiences, people, and opportunities that have shaped your life. Reflect on the positive aspects and milestones you have achieved. Acknowledge the blessings and lessons you have received along the way.

R - Realizations and Lessons Learned:

Share the realizations you have had about yourself, others, and the world around you. Reflect on the lessons you have learned from various experiences and challenges. Discuss how these insights have impacted your growth and understanding.

O - Outlook and Aspirations:

Describe your current outlook on life and the future. Share your aspirations and goals for personal and professional development. Discuss the vision you have for yourself and the steps you plan to take to achieve it.

W - Wishes and Dreams:

Articulate your wishes and dreams for the future. Share the things you hope to experience, the places you want to visit, or the achievements you aspire to. Express your deepest desires and the possibilities you envision for yourself.

By following the "GROW" acronym, you can structure your letter to your future self, covering gratitude and reflection, realizations and lessons learned, outlook and aspirations, as well as wishes and dreams. This framework allows you to reflect on your journey, express your aspirations, and inspire your future self.

Revisiting Your Letter

Timing and frequency.

Decide when and how often you will open the letter to your future self. Give yourself enough time to grow and experience life before revisiting it. Some choose to open it on a specific date or milestone, while others prefer to keep it sealed for several years.

Reflection and Assessment

As you read your letter, reflect on the goals and intentions you set. Assess your progress, achievements, and the lessons you have learned along the way. Celebrate your successes and use any setbacks as opportunities for growth and course correction.

Adjusting and Realigning

Based on your newfound insights, make adjustments and realign your path as needed. Goals may change, and priorities may shift over time. Use the letter as a guide to navigate your journey and stay connected to your authentic self.

Writing a letter to your future self is a powerful practice that invites self-reflection, goal-setting, and personal growth. It allows you to capture the essence of who you are today and provides a glimpse into the person you aspire to become. Embrace this transformative journey of self-discovery, and let the act of writing guide you toward a future filled with purpose, fulfillment, and growth. So take some time to sit down and put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and send a message to the person you hope to become.

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I’ve seen a lot of letters to past selves. Here’s what I would say to my post-pandemic self, they read. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are the only one you can count on. Slow down. You can’t go through life afraid to live it. You’re going to be so proud of yourself! I even wrote one in 2019, a tough love letter to my twenty-something self. But why look back? What about our future selves? What questions do we want to ask? What do we wonder?

The theme on Wit & Delight this month is “Show Up As Yourself.” So, I was intrigued to write about the possibility of change and speak to a portion of myself I don’t know. I want to explore how the future me might feel. I want to dedicate time to that mystery soul. This person could have children, not have children, experience loss, grow old, find growth, experience unknown pain, and develop new habits. When we write to selves about the past, we know them and there’s a pompous clarity in the writing. Sure, giving advice to our past selves is fun. But is it helpful? How can we best explore who we might become? How can we best break down the walls of the person we’re afraid to see? How do we write about the unknown?

I want to write a letter with more intention. I want to ask questions and discover what scares me about getting older. In a way, that’s what the most honest writing does for us anyway.

When I think about it, we are always (sort of) writing to future versions of ourselves. We write through dreams and aspirations, ideals, and healing. We imagine the future in great depth, struggling to center on the present. But, I want to write a letter with more intention. I want to ask questions and discover what scares me about getting older. In a way, that’s what the most honest writing does for us anyway. Right? Okay, here goes nothing/everything.

Dear future self,

Hi, it’s me from the past. I’m thirty-five. I don’t know how old you are now. I’m envisioning you’re in your sixties. You’ve lived an entire life. You’re as old as your mom was when you wrote this letter. I guess this letter is sort of like inception. I’m so afraid to write this. I’m struggling to imagine who you are. Can I be honest? You’re you, after all. Right now, I feel selfish. I want to tell you all the things I want in my life. I hope you got them. Right now, your thirty-something self is needy. I want a baby. I don’t want a baby. I want more money. I want to live within my means. Beyond my means. I want more time. I want to scoop minutes up and feel like I can’t possibly carry all the hours to the end of my driveway. I want everyone to live forever. I don’t want to experience deep grief. I’m so lucky. I’m so selfish. 

If you’re sixty, lucky enough to live until then, I know you’ve experienced pain by now. The deep kind, the oceanic kind, the kind that is so dark and expansive, you wouldn’t be able to explain it to me. Are you okay with that grief? I read this quote in Susan Cain’s book Bittersweet recently (you should read it again and see how you feel). “If we could honor sadness a little more, maybe we could see it—rather than enforced smiles and righteous outrage—as the bridge we need to connect with each other. We could remember that no matter how distasteful we might find someone’s opinions, no matter how radiant, or fierce, someone may appear, they have suffered, or they will.” I didn’t mean to jump right into suffering. That must be my fear pouring through. You’ve always been a deeply melancholic person. You love sad music. You have an acute awareness of passing time. You have a joyful curiosity about specific beauty points in the world. Lately, I’ve identified with the Arabic proverb, “Days of honey, days of onion.” You are the definition of bittersweet. Are you still? 

I also read in Bittersweet that, as we get older, we find comfort with the passing of time. I imagine you don’t try and slow it down. You are a quiet way of being, a force of storied tradition, loss, and joy. Does that feel beautiful?

I’m sure you’ve turned toward many humans, loved them, held them, and cared for them. But I hope you’ve done the same for yourself. Somehow, I know you will.

I have some wishes, as well. I hope you transform your sorrow and longings into art. I hope you’ve written a lot of letters. I hope work didn’t consume you, even though you let your job get away from you in your thirties. I hope you gave your parents the stage and the time. I’m sure you’ve turned toward many humans, loved them, held them, and cared for them. But I hope you’ve done the same for yourself. Somehow, I know you will. I want you to remember a few things about this time in your life. I want you to remember how light you felt when you rode Crow, that big chestnut horse you adored. I want you to remember how it felt to see your words in print for the first time, proof you exist. I want you to remember your little yard in front of your first home, the mow lines, and how much you care about grass and impressing the neighbors. I want you to remember late nights in the garage with Jake, refurbishing furniture so everything in your home always reminds you of the work, the polish. I want you to remember the smell of hot tomatoes and summer with your small niece and nephew. I want you to remember their sticky cheeks and bursting, tiny voices. Remember that Jake loves to build you things. Remember the ocean with your mom and sister, how it feels to reach out to them, and love them in the morning fog of Carmel. Remember the Northwoods with your friends when none of you had children. Remember hot, fried buttered buns at fish fries and how much time you had to watch your peonies grow. Remember the feverish wanting of pregnancy , the unknown hope of craving expansiveness, a physical outwardness. 

I also want you to remember the hard things. I want you to remember living paycheck to paycheck, not being able to get the things you wanted because you didn’t have enough money. I want you to remember the doctor bills you struggled to pay, crying on the way home from work, not being able to imagine traveling to other countries, and wondering if your life was limited to 200 miles north, east, south, and west of your home. Did you travel more? Do you still feel this? All these things will feel different to you now, perhaps as distant memories. Small moments in your thirties that you’ll read later like you’re starving. Perhaps there’s something else entirely that makes you feel light. I hope you’re still riding. I can imagine you still care about clean yards and a pretty lawn. That’s what makes you a lot like your dad. We carry our family with us everywhere.

When you were in grade school, you’d write long lists of “favorite things” so you could look back years later and read about how much you’d changed. You were obsessed with seeing that, five years ago, you had a crush on so-and-so and loved (god forbid!) The O.C. and the color blue . 

All these things will feel different to you now, perhaps as distant memories. Small moments in your thirties that you’ll read later like you’re starving. Perhaps there’s something else entirely that makes you feel light.

Let’s try that again! Right now, I’m really into Brené Brown’s podcast (are podcasts still a thing?), Dirty Shirleys, antiquing, The Vermont Country Store catalog, my Gentle Reminder Calendar , Paper Mate colorful pens , watching Love Island (sorry, future me), dressing like Meryl Streep in It’s Complicated , sleep aids like sipping iced Sleepy Time Tea before bed, horse head bookends, weather patterns, gingham accents, and how Jake looks at me when I’m talking about something I love. Do you still love these things? Do you wish for them? In my Passion Planner , I write down the biggest lesson I learn every month. Here’s what I’ve written this year:

• Resonance is important.
• Nothing beyond love and kindness matters.
• Your anger is you. Not anyone else. Sit inside that.
• Stop anticipating, trust the burn.
• Being uncomfortable is progress.
• Sadness is wide, grief is a close friend.
• Nothing should be rushed.
• You can always go back.
• Hold fear and joy in equal glory. Both can exist at once.
• You are always doing better than you think.
• Dandelions are good.
• To be happy, be more tree.
• Don’t go to a concert high.

I’m sure you have so many to add now. Or maybe you don’t. Or maybe you think these are ridiculous. Or maybe you no longer find the need to make “lesson lists.” I’m happy. I have my hard days. I have bad habits. I haven’t gone to the dentist to fill those cavities, so I hope you don’t have five crowns by now. I am putting a lot of money toward my 401K, so I hope I’m setting you up for success. I’m doing my best. That’s the lesson here. My thirty-something best is hopefully your sixty-something peace of mind. 

Will people find this article on the internet in twenty-five years? ( Writer’s Note: Please don’t talk to me about how I’ll be sixty years old in twenty-five years.) Will they find it funny? Weird? I’m not sure. Perhaps, like in the past, internet articles will wash up like a lost bottle in the sea—little shards of the lived. And someday, I will come back to this past self, searching for my future. I might have to print it out, just in case. Either way, I hope you’re happy too. I hope life feels full. I hope the people in your life reflect how you have shown your beacon of light in the world, no matter how faint or how strong.  Sincerely, Brittany, your thirty-something (past) self

Lastly, I highly recommend you try this exercise.

Writing to a later version of myself gave me some specific clarity about who I want to be and how I want to grow. 

Here are some tips to try to write your own “future-self” letter:

• Write down what you want to remember.
• Write down what you don’t want to remember.
• Write about your favorite things.
• Jot down notes about how you’re feeling right now.
• Scribble down the lessons you’ve learned.
• Ask your future self how you’re different now.
• Lastly, write a note to yourself in a year, three years, five years… put them in an envelope and write down the date you can read them again.

Will you write yours?

Brittany Chaffee is an avid storyteller, professional empath, and author. On the daily, she gets paid to strategize and create content for brands. Off work hours, it’s all about a well-lit place, warm bread, and good company. She lives in St.Paul with her baby brother cats, Rami and Monkey. Follow her on Instagram , read more about her latest book, Borderline , and (most importantly) go hug your mother.

BY Brittany Chaffee - September 20, 2022

Like what you see? Share Wit & Delight with a friend: 

amazing article.

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

What an interesting thing to do I love this idea!

xo Jessica <a href=”https://anindigoday.com/”>an indigo day</a>

Thank you, Jessica! Let me know if you give it a try!

This was absolutely beautiful – I did not expect to stumble across this this morning. Your writing is soft, and clever, and inspiring. You should be proud of what you created here. Thank you for sharing.

I appreciate this so much 🙂 Thank you so much for reading and commenting. Trying this exercise truly helped me feel closer to myself and I hope it helps others do too! xoxo

This was absolutely beautiful. I didn’t expect to get emotional reading it but as a 36 year old woman so much of what you said was relatable. Thank you

Thank you so kindly, Melissa! This makes my day to hear you could relate to this letter. It was so meaningful for me to write, so I’m happy it was for you as well!

Amazing article! Thanks for the positive and encouraging words of wisdom! 😊

Thank you so much for reading, Britney! Have a lovely weekend!

Thank you for this. I am 70 and my 8 year old adopted daughter has an assignment to do this very thing. I think it will be a great experience for her. Your words reached my heart and came out of my eyes. Thank you

Hello, Diane. It is so incredible to me that your daughter is doing this exercise! I think I did something like it at her age too and I wish I could find that letter now. Thank you for reading and loving.

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How to Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Last Updated: May 9, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Celena Hathaway and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre . Celena Hathaway is an English & Creative Writing Teacher at Cornerstone Schools of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. She specializes in entry-level creative writing, such as fundamental poetry and fiction short story techniques, and 8th-grade-level grammar and reading. She earned her B.S.E. in Secondary Education and B.A. in English from Samford University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 511,026 times.

No one talks about writer’s block when it comes to writing a letter to yourself, but it can be challenging to clearly convey your message to future you. Whether you’re hoping to achieve specific goals, follow up on bucket list items, or give words of affirmation, your future self will be grateful to receive a letter no matter what. This wikiHow will give you ideas to help structure your letter, possible goals you can set, and language to use to prepare yourself for success. Future you is going to be thriving .

Talking About Who You Are Now

• You may want to choose an age that puts you in different circumstances than you are currently in. If you write the letter as a freshman in high school and read it when you’re in college, you’ll be able to see how much your life has changed and whether or not your goals have been met.

• When talking about your current self in this letter, use “I” language. When talking about your future self in this letter, use “you” language.

• Include information about your church, if you belong to one, or values like accepting everyone’s faith, or lack thereof. Add morals that guide you, such as always being kind, or helping others in need.

Addressing Your Future Self

• Do you enjoy your job?
• What do you do in order to relax?
• Who is the most important person in your life?
• What is your relationship with your parents like? How do they treat you and how do you treat them?
• If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

Sealing and Storing the Letter

• If you keep a journal, consider writing the letter directly in your journal and marking the page, or writing the letter separately and tucking it in between the pages of your journal.

• You might consider using a digital calendar (like Google Calendars), note-taking software (like Evernote), [11] X Research source or a letter-writing website (like FutureMe). [12] X Research source

Sample Letter and Things to Include and Avoid

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about writing, check out our in-depth interview with Celena Hathaway .

• ↑ https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/self-awareness/writing-letters
• ↑ https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/diary-journal.html
• ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-letter-to-my-future-sel_b_4522265
• ↑ http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/want-to-improve-your-life-write-yourself-a-letter.html
• ↑ https://medium.com/personal-growth/join-me-and-write-a-letter-to-your-future-self-514fa62c0beb
• ↑ https://blog.evernote.com/blog/2014/07/24/evernote-reminders-writing-letter-future-self/
• ↑ https://www.futureme.org/

About This Article

Writing a letter to your future self can be a great way to look back on how your life has changed and find out if you're achieving the goals you set for yourself. To do this, first choose the age you want to be when you read it, which will help you decide on realistic goals. When you begin your letter, summarize who you currently are by including recent achievements and interests. After you’ve introduced yourself, write down your hopes or goals, like getting into a good college or starting a family. Once you’ve written out your goals, ask some questions to help your future self reflect on their life. For example, you could ask, “Do you like your job?” or “What do you do to relax?”. Throughout your letter, use “I” when you’re writing about yourself now and “you” when referring to your future self so you can easily tell the difference between them. For tips on where to hide your letter, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• How (and Why) to Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Writing a letter to your future self is one of my most memorable bucket list checks. It was like creating a time capsule of my thoughts, dreams, and the incredible journey you’re on. Are you ready to write your own?

You can fill it with facts of where your life is in the present moment and will hopes for the future. Just think about how powerful it might be when you read this “dear future me letter”. It could be a reminder of who you were versus who you wanted to be. It would be a little kick in the butt to make sure that you are heading in that direction and in order to limit life’s biggest regrets . It can bring much value to your life—I know it did for myself. And that’s why it is a great bucket list idea .

Why is Writing a Letter to Your Future Self a Good Idea?

• Reality check. As we live, we tend to forget about many decisions, promises, and other valuable things. Sometimes we make mistakes which we don’t want to repeat, but eventually, forget about them and step on the same rake. This letter will be a reality, helping you to raise some thought provoking questions and see if you are moving in the right direction.
• Self-reflection.  Many prominent and successful people have a journal where they engaged in self-reflection, and change their lives. You can follow that example and you’ll be able to get yourself on a new personal level.
• Time-machine. Your diaries/letters are like time-machines. Years pass, and the moment you read them, you immerse into that past reality. You are suddenly that young, less mature, happy, silly, and very real past YOU. And you will see how much you have changed since that time. Whether it makes you laugh or cry, it will definitely be a precious experience.
• Reminder. A letter to yourself is remind yourself of something really important and valuable. Life can be hectic a lot of the times. And the most meaningful things and dreams to people might slip out of our minds—being pushed to the back burner. This letter will help you remember what is important to you.

How to Write a Letter to Your Future Self

First things first, find a cozy spot, grab a cup of your favorite brew (tea, coffee, or maybe something a bit fancier), and let’s get those creative juices flowing. Then follow these steps for inspiration:

Ask Yourself Some Questions

Your letter can include answers to some of life’s most thought provoking questions , like these:

• What lessons have I learned up until this point? Life will definitely have given you some precious knowledge… help yourself verbalize it.
• What goals have I achieved? Who helped me on the way? How did I thank them? Sometimes we are so committed to achieving the next goal that we forget to both enjoy your victories and thank those people who helped you reach the pinnacle. Gratitude and joy are extremely important.
• Am I happy? Perhaps, one of the most important questions. We all want to be happy and sometimes we forget to stop for a second and enjoy it. Enjoy our healthy body, enjoy our partner, enjoy our kids, enjoy this beautiful morning, and a cup of orange juice and here are 100 other things to be thankful for .
• What is important to me? This question will make you redefine your values. Important things might change over time, so it is a useful idea to reflect on this.
• Am I living this life true to MYSELF? If you try to meet everyone else’s expectations, you might be drifting far away from yours.
• Am I spending enough time on things that matter? This question will help you see if you pay enough attention to the essential things in your life. You’ll see if the constant flow of events didn’t carry you away.
• Do I take enough care of my health and myself? Some people treat their bodies just like containers to transport their minds without realizing that your body is like a vehicle. If you knew that you are going to have this car for the rest of your life, how would you treat it?

If these questions are not enough to get your letter writing juices flowing, then read this article: hard questions to ask yourself .

Share Your Current Beliefs

Tell your future self about your principles and beliefs in such areas of life as:

• Family. If someone in your family made some mistake you want to avoid, tell your future self about it. You wanted your dad to work less and spend more time with you? Then, tell your future self to prioritize family time.
• Friends. Describe your friends and why you are close to these people. Write about some funny situations or about some precious moments, when this person really helped you.
• Health. Tell your future self about how you maintain your health. Give yourself some reminders about the way of life and lifestyle habits you should be sticking to.
• Relationships. What’s important in your relationship? What type of partner are you attracted to? What traits of character do you want to see in your future partner?
• Career. Share your career goals and plans. Tell yourself about what you are currently doing for work and what your ambitions are. After this, you might want to analyze this passage now and create a step-by-step plan on how to actually reach those goals.
• Spirituality. What are your spiritual principles? What do you believe in? How do you support your spiritual practice? In hard times, this is our communication with God that actually helps us out. So, remind yourself of your values and principles.
• Finance & Money. Share with your future self some beliefs about money and your current financial situation.

Define Things You Want in the Future

This is the most important part of your letter, which will help you process your life experience and become a better version of yourself.

• What should I remember?
• What are my goals for the future?
• What habits should I start to be healthier?
• What relationships need more attention and what ones need to be dissolved?
• What should I exclude from my life? What should I add to my life.

It’s perfectly okay to type your letter or use a simple piece of white paper, but to make it a little more special you can also buy a pretty paper and envelope set ( like this one ) or a beautiful leather journal .

Store Your Letter With a Future Open Date

Store your letter in a way that you will not be tempted to read it before its time, but also in a way that it will not be forgotten. The best way is to put it into a sealed envelope with the open date boldly marked on it. Then, you can set a reminder on the calendar of the exact date you want to open it (and the location where you hid it!).

How long should you wait to open your letter? That depends on you. I recommend at least one year, but five would be even better. You could also make a plan to write a new letter every five years.

Letter to Myself Example

On my 40th birthday I wrote a very special letter to my future self, and here it is:

Dear Future Self,

Today is your 40th birthday and as you look back you realize that you have had many fortunate experiences and time appears to have flown by. But, looking forward you are filled with hope, dreams and excitement. The one thing you wish is that what you know now you knew when you were 20. To myself, I write this letter to the future me.

What You Know Now:

You now realize that in your 20’s you thought that your career defined you, but now it enhances your life. Though you have worked for fabulous companies, you know that your heart lies in being your own boss and hope to continue down that path for the rest of your life. You definitely feel that the restaurant business is a passion, but you have many others and dream of becoming a writer of “bucket list” books, creating cork art to sell and otherwise having a career that allows you the freedom to travel.

In earlier life your main concentration was on “becoming a millionaire” and now you just want to simplify. You understand that you can only wear so many clothes, friends don’t really care what kind of car you drive and huge diamond rings don’t equal true love. You still have the desire to have money, but you would like to spend it on creating experiences instead of accumulating material items.

RELATIONSHIPS & MARRIAGE

You have been married for 12 years and the dynamic of the relationship has changed dramatically since year one. You were once obsessed about knowing the security of the future and now know that things happen and no matter what you will be okay. You know that acceptance of your partner is so important and you have been successful at that. You realize that marriage is not always roses & butterflies, but nothing is and you are willing to work at making it better. With that said, you believe that relationships should mostly be roses & butterflies or else it’s not worth sacrificing your happiness. You truly love your husband, but still struggle with “unconditional” love and need to continuously strive to make sure he feels it .

You have spent many years searching for your passion, hoping that there was that one thing you would be excellent at. You now know that the search is your passion and within this search are the times you feel most alive. You have now dedicated much of your life to experiencing new things and truly feel that is your permanent infatuation.

LIFE ENHANCEMENT

In this letter to my future self I want to emphasis how the power of being present has changed your life. Having the ability to not think about the past or worry about the future has been a long, challenging path and is still a work in progress. But, you have realized that it is a huge key to happiness. Also, you spent much time challenging your negative thoughts, pointing out the positive every time you had one. It has proven to be successful in the process of being joyful. Another important thing you feel is that, in most cases, honesty truly is the best policy. It has not failed you. You now feel that happiness is a choice and you try to choose it whenever you can! You have also realized that the one person that has to take care of you is you!

You have accepted the faults of your family with love, though these faults still emotionally affect you more than you wish. You take comfort in the fact that you know your mother would take her own life for you, but hope that she will realize that her healthy lifestyle means more to you than anything. You have almost stopped fantasizing about having the father figure you see in the movies, though you still long to have a stronger relationship with him. You have effectively cut out the communication with family members that do not enhance your life and don’t feel guilty.

STYLE & AGING

For the most part, you feel pretty. Pretty in a way that lacks the insecurities or conceit of when you were younger. You can see the effects of aging, but do not compare yourself to younger versions. On most days, you feel that you look good for your age and your goal is to have that feeling at every age. You still love stylish clothing (at a discount!) and dressing nice gives your self esteem a boost. Brand names still do not impress you, you don’t understand the purpose of paying 4 times as much for designer jeans, but definitely would if it made your butt look fabulous! Aging or dying does not particularly scare you, what frightens you is that you will not be able to experience all the things you want to.

In the past couple of years you have been caught thinking, “I love life” and you hope to feel this for many years to come.

Love & Respect,

Hey, you know that awesome feeling when you write a letter to your future self? It’s like chatting with your BFF across time! Pouring out your heart, sharing dreams, and sprinkling some serious wisdom, is a true love letter to your future self. So, grab that pen, spill your guts, and get ready for the most epic conversation with the fabulous person you’re destined to become.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links, I earn a commission that helps to keep this blog running—at no extra cost to you. For more information read my full disclosure .

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2 thoughts on “How (and Why) to Write a Letter to Your Future Self”

Annete, this is Nice! Thanks for share the way you see yourself with others. Greice

You should totally do this! It was one of the best things I ever did.

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Why I Have Students Write Letters to Their Future Selves

A writing assignment they’ll remember.

Create a custom “Letters to the Future” experience for your students! Teachers can sign up today for free with code WEARETEACHERS.

Community building is essential to any classroom’s success. And, if you’re going to accomplish anything in an upper grade classroom, you really have to work on student engagement, especially now. This means that teachers have to dig into two toolboxes at all times: the “build community while being self-reflective” activities and the one labeled “OMG can y’all believe how exciting this activity is?!”

Over the years, I’ve assigned writing assignments to help build community. They’ve changed to avoid duplication of other classes and prompts, and this year,  I decided to have students write a letter to their future self. That’s when I found FutureMe in the classroom , which fit in both of those toolboxes above!

The idea is simple: you create a single page for students to type a letter to their future self, which the site then delivers electronically on the future date that you or the students set. Students only have to work in one text field, enter their email address, choose a delivery date, and send. It’s that easy.

Save time on your lesson planning

My reality as an educator, like many of yours, is difficult to describe right now. My planning time is booked from now till February, by which time I should be caught up on September’s grading! That was a solid plus for FutureMe. Once I started thinking about my prompt and how I wanted the students to interact with the site, it only took about 15 minutes to get everything ready.

Customize as little or as much as you’d like

The live preview captures what you see as you edit.

The site is intuitive. As you customize the page that students will see, your updates appear live in a frame on the same tab. This is especially helpful if you want to modify the colors, which I did to match our school’s colors. It’s also easy to adjust the colors of the text and the “send” button. When you’re done, or if you just want to see the student page, just hit the Preview link.

I set our work to private—only the students will see their emails (a few students sent them to their parents’ email addresses, too). This is a personal choice and it works for our classroom community, but you can adjust those settings with a click. You’re also able to choose between having the students choose their own date or setting it for them. For this assignment, I let the kids choose their date. I plan on going back to the site in a few weeks for a more formal assignment. For that, I’ll set the date for them. You can also choose to make letters available publicly by selecting which ones might be appropriate and interesting to share.

Discover effortless student engagement

I made a QR code for the link for the students to scan using their devices, and the site loaded right up. Once the students were on the site, they knew exactly what to do. They played around with changing the delivery date and talked with each other about the choice they made. Questions included, “can I curse?” “can I send this to my mom, too?” and “can we do this next week, too?”

An important aspect of any Letter to My Future Self assignment is this magical idea that we have acted outside of time—that a future version of ourselves can interact with a past version of ourselves, connecting old to young, present to past, and spurring nostalgic feelings. When the kids finished, they pressed “Send to the Future,” and it was gone, like magic.

Think beyond the classroom prompt

It’s great to have paper handy for those first drafts

Another plus for FutureMe, for sure—there was no teacher stuffing a letter into a yellow envelope with a promise to send on to a high school teacher or sealed and stamped envelopes stashed in a drawer to wait for a future postal worker. FutureMe maximizes student agency for a common activity, turning it from an old, wooden desk and paper envelope kind of thing into the familiar space of tech and social media actions. If you choose to make some of the letters public, you can expand the reach of the assignment even further.

Consider a variety of prompts to get students started. In each one, encourage students to think of themselves not just as students, but as human beings: sisters, brothers, friends, sons or daughters, creatives, athletes, leaders, etc.

• What is one thing you’d like to accomplish this year?
• Describe how you feel right now and what you enjoy doing.
• Where do you see yourself as a student in X length of time?
• What are you most proud of in your life so far? What do you want to be proud of in one year?
• Describe something you are struggling with right now, and describe what it might look like to have overcome it.
• Write a letter to give your future self some encouragement and love!
• How have you changed over the past few years, and how do you hope to change over the next few?

In future assignments, I will change the setting so I can read and grade or give feedback on them. The flexibility is important to me, and FutureMe provides exactly the kinds of focused choices that have a meaningful impact on the student’s experience. My students are looking forward to the next assignment, and so am I!

Getting started is easy, and it’s FREE with code “WEARETEACHERS.” Use your K-12 school email to enroll for one year for up to 200 students.

Learn more about FutureMe

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Dear Future Me

SHARON’S BLOG Life is about making decisions, and you’ve got some large ones in your future.

Big ones include your future education or training: Should you pursue a college or technical degree. If you do, which one? Will you make the best choice? Will you change your mind several times?

What about marriage? Starting a family? Will that be in your future? Will you travel?

I’m sure you’ve heard your parents say, “If I knew then what I know now!” and understood them to mean that they wished they had some of their current wisdom to help them make decisions when they were younger.

What if, instead of looking backwards, we encouraged our future selves? You may not have all the wisdom you’d like to have now to inform yourself twenty years from now, but you know you better than anyone.

Now it’s your turn: Use FutureMe.org and write your future self an email of encouragement, wisdom, and support. Or simply write a letter to yourself, place it in an envelope, and ask your parents to deliver it to you years from now.

Ideas to consider:

* Think about things you struggle with now and how you might need encouragement and advice regarding those areas of your life in ten years. * Remind yourself about what’s really important to you. * Share with your future self how you’re feeling about your current family relationships and friendships and how to nurture those. * Remind yourself about what’s not important and how to let go of things that weigh you down. * Encourage your future self to stick close to the Lord. It’s easy as we get older and busier to leave the faith of our younger selves behind. How can you encourage you to nurture that? * Take a moment and let yourself know who you have in your life today that might not be in your life ten years from now. Include a special memory.

What about you? Do you have additional ideas you’d write to you? I’d love to hear about them! Use the Comment box below.

Explore our fun writing prompts for your middle school students here. >>

Your teens will enjoy these engaging prompts. >>

Prompt by Gina Glenn. Copyright © 2017 by Sharon Watson

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Message To My Future Self

Colleen beck otr/l.

• by Colleen Beck OTR/L
• October 19, 2022

If you wrote a future me letter (or any message to my future self ) while in school, you can understand the value in this assignment. My class wrote one in high school, and thirty years later I still have mine. Each time I find it, I am amazed at how eerily correct I predicted, or knew my future at fifteen. A message to my future self writing prompt can be an amazing growth mindset project to have students write about, at certain parts of their schooling, and archived for later review. 

Use this as a tool to support breaking down goals . Today’s free download is a template writing prompt for a future me letter.

Today’s free download is a template writing prompt for a future me letter.

What is a Future Me letter?

So, what is message for my future self? A message to future me, is just that…a letter for the future version of yourself! It’s a quick glimpse into what you visualize for yourself in your future.

A future me message can be a picture of yourself at it’s current state as you picture yourself now. A future me letter is a great tool for self-reflection. It’s how you would describe yourself to a future version of yourself.

A message to your future self can also be a way to plan goals for yourself. You can visualize your future and make goals for down the road. This can be used along with a goal ladder to work on achieving specific goals.

message to my future self

What would you include if you were to write a “message to my future self”? 

Think about how your life looks right now. What would you change about your environment, your career, friends and family, life situations, etc. What wouldn’t you change about those life events and circumstances?

Can you picture a future life with your optimal circumstances? This is a peek into your future life that you might like to live.

A message to one’s future self is a letter about how you might see your future. It’s a description of how things are right now in your current situation and how you might like to change certain things or not change other things.

Much like using the power of yet , a “future me letter” or a “message to your future self” is a growth mindset tactic. Using affirmations and visualizations, a future me sets the stage for setting and accomplishing personal goals.

This task can be a tool for breaking down goals as well as visualizing a future with those goals already being accomplished.

A message to one’s future self might include:

• Predictions about what you think your life goals should be
• Advice for your future self 
• Events and feelings you might want to recall later
• Your wildest dreams, if you could have anything
• Things you would say to yourself, if you were grown up
• A future me letter containing highlights of present day to be remembered later

FUTURE ME LETTER AT DIFFERENT AGES

Students (and adults) of all ages can write a future me letter.

Imagine the different letters written by each age student. 

Kindergarten future me letter- Kindergarteners might write about their future self becoming a princess or firefighter, or their love of Mom and Dad.  They are not able to think beyond what they know, or far outside of their own circle. This can look like a picture or drawing predicting their future selves. It can also be a sentence or two at the end of the kindergarten year.

Elementary future me letter- Elementary age might have a more realistic view on the world, although still limited in what they are able to write about.  

Middle school future me letter- The future me letter starts to shine during middle and high school when students are able to think outside of their present self, imagine a future, reflect on past mistakes , and offer advice to themselves. 

High school future me letter- In the teenage years is where we start to see a real strategy and prediction of the future self. In the high school years, students are moving toward career readiness as they get first jobs and make post-high school plans. A future me letter written during the high school years can be fairly accurate or completely off base, but the actual letter can be a treasure to read back on as an adult, when all of the learning that has happened is literally on the paper.

In the high school years, self-reflection is important. Covering longer term goals, a future vision of one’s years after high school and the steps to get there can be covered in a future me letter in high school. This is a great addition to occupational therapy for teens .

Future me letter for adults- Just because schooling has passed, doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for a future me letter. In adulthood, writing about future goals and perspectives can be a stepping point for career changes, life goals, and big changes.

No matter the age, this opportunity to look at one’s past, present, and future goals is a wonderful self-reflection activity put into action.

I am a huge fan of the time capsule idea. Collect relevant items from a time period in your learner’s life, and store them away.  Once your learner is old enough to reflect and appreciate the information, share the time capsule with them.  Given “modern” technology, the time capsule, including future me letters, can be physical items, or documents stored on a floppy disk (remember those?) 

Personally I prefer being able to hold and touch physical items from the past.

Writing a message to your future self

Let’s break down the activity analysis of writing a message to your future self.

Writing a future me letter, whether it is kept in a time capsule, posted on the refrigerator, or tossed in the recycle bin (GASP!), is a beneficial assignment. If you prefer a different writing prompt, this list of interest prompts might help your learners get started.

One tool to use in writing a message to ones future self is this goal ladder resource. Use that tool to create actionable steps to achieving a “future you”.

When coming up with a message for your future you to read, it is helpful to reflect on what you would like the future to look like.

This is where self awareness reflection comes in. One needs to be aware of self, but also reflect on current situations as well.

This letter is a great way for therapists to address introspection with clients.

Introspection refers to the examination or observation of one’s own thoughts and feelings. We know that our thoughts and feelings impact daily functioning, executive functioning skills, learning, and social interactions. By taking a look at our thoughts and feelings, we can see where we may want to make some changes for our future self to experience in life.

One way to foster these skills is by targeting self awareness. Use these self awareness games to get the ball rolling.

Use these points as a starting point to create a message to your future self.

Writing a message for your future self in therapy

Writing a message for your future self is a great activity prompt for therapy sessions, beyond the functional handwriting activity. We can use this functional activity to assess and document skills in the future me letter writing prompt.

Accurate documentation, although tedious, is a necessary evil in therapy settings. Documenting handwriting to show progress can be challenging without a rubric. 

Does your note reflect accurate documentation, or contain phrases like good line placement, fair letter formation, or poor spacing?  Think about how you will determine if the spacing has improved with words like poor/fair/good.

The OT Toolbox has some great resources for handwriting rubrics and testing. Try this Handwriting and Data Collection Kit .  It comes in a school age kit as well as a preschool edition .

Writing in general is a core skill. It begins with tracing, moves on to copying, then to response writing, or creative flow.  Learners can get stuck at any of these stages.  Look at this printable Handwriting Tips Pack for strategies. Analyze the activity to see where the learner is lacking the skill to move forward.  

• Kinesthetic awareness – are the messages from the body going to the right receptors? Read more about kinesthetic awareness here.
• Hand strength and dexterity – staying on the lines builds hand muscles and develops muscle control. Is your learner missing some strength or dexterity? This article on hand strengthening activities explains more.
• Visual motor skills –Combining what is seen visually and what is written motorically.  This takes coordination to be able to translate information from visual input to motor output. Coloring, drawing, counting, cutting, and tracing are some visual motor skills.  Poor visual motor skills can be a stumbling block to moving past beginning letter formation. Read about visual motor skills in more detail.
• Social Skills/Executive Function – Following directions, task completion, orienting to details, neatness, multi-tasking, attending to task, and impulse control can be contributing to difficulty completing the future me letter. This resource covers the connection between emotional regulation and executive functioning skills .
• Handwriting: Letter formation – correctly forming the letters top to bottom. Letter sizing – correctly fitting the letters into the sized lines provided. Spacing, line placement, directionality, and spelling are also needed for success. Read about letter formation for more information and resources.
• Copying – copying words from a model, transferring the letters from one place to another is a helpful building block to successful writing. Try these copying cards for more work in this area.
• Fine motor- strengthening, hand development, and grasping pattern when holding the writing utensil and managing the paper. Read more about fine motor skills .
• Bilateral coordination – remembering to use their “helper hand” to hold the paper while writing.  Our resource on bilateral coordination skills covers more.
• Strength – core strength, shoulder and wrist stability, head control, balance, and hand strength are all needed for upright sitting posture and writing tasks.

Using a message to future me letter in occupational therapy

Documenting skills in the future me letter writing prompt

Use the message to your future self to identify areas of development:

Accurate documentation, although tedious, is a necessary evil in therapy settings. Documenting handwriting to show progress can be challenging without a rubric.  Does your note reflect accurate documentation, or contain phrases like good line placement, fair letter formation, or poor spacing? 

Think about how you will determine if the spacing has improved with words like poor/fair/good. The OT Toolbox has some great resources for handwriting rubrics and testing. Try this Handwriting and Data Collection Kit .  It comes in a school age kit as well as a preschool edition .

• the percentage of correct letters
• how many letters are formed correctly/# of reversals/legibility of writing
• size of letters in relation to the space, # of letters on the line
• Omissions, additions, punctuation errors, and spacing can also be considered
• grasping pattern, hand dominance
• attention to detail, following directions, prompts and reminders needed, level of assistance given
• Number of times you need to repeat the directions so your learner can follow them
• Amount of prompts and reminders reminders your learner needs while doing this activity
• Determine what goals and skills you are addressing. Are you looking strictly at letter formation, line placement, and alphabet recall, or something else entirely such as executive function, thought processing, and behavior?

This type of documentation may feel foreign at first if this is not what you are used to, however insurance and governing agencies are becoming more strict on accurate documentation practice. 

When it comes to reviewing progress and gathering information, you will find thorough documentation will be helpful. Check out How to Reach Handwriting Goals.

Perhaps this future me letter has inspired you to write one to yourself.  What would you say to the future you?  Don’t get married to that guy, take a different job, say no to that piece of cake, have more children, or become a princess after all.

Free Letter to future self

Would you like a to print off a template for a letter to future self to use as a writing prompt? This letter can be used in therapy sessions or for personal use. We’ve covered the various ways to use this resource, and now is a great time to start writing to your future you!

This printable is a resource found inside The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. Members can log in and grab the future me letter under “ Handwriting Tools “. Not a member? Enter your email address into the form below to access this printable resource.

Free Letter to Future Self

NOTE* The term, “learner” is used throughout this post for readability and inclusion. This information is relevant for students, patients, clients, preschoolers, kids/children of all ages and stages, or whomever could benefit from these resources. The term “they” is used instead of he/she to be inclusive.

Victoria Wood, OTR/L is a contributor to The OT Toolbox and has been providing Occupational Therapy treatment in pediatrics for more than 25 years. She has practiced in hospital settings (inpatient, outpatient, NICU, PICU), school systems, and outpatient clinics in several states. She has treated hundreds of children with various sensory processing dysfunction in the areas of behavior, gross/fine motor skills, social skills and self-care. Ms. Wood has also been a featured speaker at seminars, webinars, and school staff development training. She is the author of Seeing your Home and Community with Sensory Eyes.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Future Plan / My Hopes for the Future

My Hopes for the Future

• Category: Life
• Topic: Future Plan , My Future

Pages: 1 (495 words)

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Self-Discovery and Fulfillment

Positive impact on society, a world of compassion and harmony, conclusion: navigating the unknown.

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