Writing a Letter to Yourself

Yesterday, I shared a link to Lily Collins’ letter to herself that’s featured in her new book

“Unfiltered.” She writes about her insecurities and self-doubts, but then she focuses on her strengths and capabilities. She writes to herself about the good things she does for herself and what she needs to do to keep reminding herself of her own self-worth. In the end, she commits to being the best person she can be and to give her the respect she deserves.

Writing a letter to yourself can be a little awkward at first. If you’re used to writing standard letters that start with “Hi, How are you? I’m doing fine,” you might not know how to begin. Here are a few tips for writing a letter to yourself:

 ·       * Have a reason for writing. Is there something momentous going on in your life right now that you want to make sure Future You remembers? Are you making plans, setting goals? Are you going through a rough patch in life? Maybe your life is fairly routine and you’d just like to record what’s going on at this time. A letter to yourself is a rather like a journal entry.

·         * You already know who you are, so there’s no need for introductions. However, if you plan on saving the letter for 10 or 20 or more years, you might want to put something in the letter that reminds Future You about why you’re writing the letter, just in case Future You has forgotten what the project is about.

·        *  Put a date on the letter, so there’s no doubt exactly when you wrote it.

·         * If you write about specific things in your life, such as your job or your best friend, etc., consider adding a few more details so that Future You knows exactly which job or friend you’re referring to.

·        *  If you’re going through some personal struggles, try not to be too negative. Take a cue from Lily Collins and look for your own strengths and detail out your goals for improvement.

·        *  Additionally, if you’re on top of the world right now, take an objective look at your situation and see who has helped you out along the way and what types of things you need to do to stay on the right track.

·        *  Take a moment to write about your hopes and dreams, all the things you want to accomplish. Make a commitment to achieving what’s really important to you.

·        *  Find that balance between being too hard on yourself and letting yourself get away with complacency. You want to be encouraging while holding yourself accountable.

·        *  When you’ve finished writing, seal the letter up in an envelope that you properly label. If you have a plan for when you’d like to open the letter, write that on the front. Then, store it somewhere where you’ll be sure to find it one day, a personal safe, a scrapbook, a safe deposit box, etc.

Now, get busy making all those plans and dreams come true!