Writing letters to yourself is a wonderful exercise of self-love. Release emotions, heal yourself and find inspiration through your own writing. Read this post to discover the kinds of letters to write yourself!
Introduction
Letter-writing has become a lost art in the age of digital. While I personally don’t write letters to send to others, I love writing letters to myself.
As an avid journaler, I love journal prompts and the power of guided writing. Letter-writing to yourself is just another practice of intentional journaling and can be very therapeutic.
You can dive deep within, release emotions, explore your dreams, and ultimately find healing and inspiration through your own words!
How a Letter Changed My Life
In my late twenties, I went through a challenging break-up. This led to my own version of an Eat-Pray-Love, where I solo-traveled through South East Asia and healed myself through food, friendship, and glorious sunsets.
As my trip wrapped up, I found myself healed and filled with compassion, self-love, confidence, and joy. Before I went home to face reality, I wrote a letter to myself to remind me of all my learnings. I put down on paper everything I knew to be true about myself, all the things I valued and loved about myself and my life.
I carefully folded that letter and kept it in my wallet. Every time I felt down or retreated to negative thoughts, I would re-read that letter. It helped me stay resilient and always remember the truth about myself – that I am wonderfully worthy and deserve to love every bit of my life.
Since then, letter writing has been such a powerful practice that I recommend to anyone and everyone!
5 Letters to Write to Yourself
Here are the 5 types of letters I suggest you get started with:
- Write a letter to your younger self
- Write a letter from your future self
- Write a letter to remind you of who you are
- Write a letter to your inner critic
- Write a letter of forgiveness
For more letters to write to yourself, explore these Letters to Yourself – Guided Self-Love Worksheet.
Related: 20 Unique Tips For Self Love For Millennials
1. Letter to Your Younger Self
There is something special about writing to a younger version of you.
Imagine your younger self. What are all the things you wish you could tell them, now that you are a little bit older and wiser?
-
- What are worries they probably shouldn’t be worrying about?
- Which dreams will they fulfill?
- How much more is there to look forward to?
- What learning lessons would you like to share?
This is a loving and healing exercise to remember your accomplishments and learnings, while also leaving you with inspiration for your future.
I’ve written a few letters to my younger self, and each one gives me a sense of pride, love, and motivation.
When to read it: when you want to remember how far you’ve come
2. Letter From Your Future Self
This letter is written from the perspective of you in the future.
Imagine yourself in 20, 30, 40 years. Think of the person who has achieved all their goals and dreams.
-
- What would your future self want to tell you today?
- What dreams did you achieve?
- Who have you become?
- What does your life look like in the future?
- What do you have to look forward to?
I love this exercise because it forces you to step into your future and imagine all the possibilities that are available to you. You envision your biggest dreams and desires.
Allow yourself to put your desires on paper. Claim it for yourself.
The best part is looking at this letter often. It will remind you of what you want, and hopefully, motivate you to keep moving toward those dreams.
When you do eventually read it in the future, I only hope you accomplish everything you wanted and more.
When to read it: when you’re looking for motivation, and want to remember the future you’re working towards
3. Letter to Remind You of Who You Are
Sometimes we lose our way, we get demotivated, we get frustrated. There’s nothing like being reminded of who you truly are.
-
- What are your strengths?
- What makes you uniquely YOU?
- Who are the people that lift you up?
- What makes you happy?
- What do you love about yourself and your life?
When life gets you down or you need a little boost of self-confidence, pick up this letter. Remember just how wonderful and amazing you are.
When to read it: when you need self-love and a boost of confidence
4. Letter to your Inner Critic
Our inner critic is that negative voice within that is critical and judgmental. It’s the voice that tells you you’re not good enough, smart enough, or beautiful enough. It’s the voice that can be most hurtful and impact our self-esteem negatively.
Write a letter to your inner critic to make peace with it.
-
- Reframe the most hurtful thoughts.
- Write compassionate words.
- Let healing words lead the way.
- Take care of your inner critic through this letter.
By treating your inner critic with love and compassion, you open the door to more positive thoughts and actions.
When to read it: when your inner critic speaks out and holds you back
5. Letter of Forgiveness
Are you holding on to feelings of anger, regret, or sadness? What are all the things you want to let go of? What would allow you to live and breathe easier if you only just released it?
Include all of that in a letter of forgiveness. Whether you’re forgiving others, or yourself, let it all go.
-
- Who are the people you want to forgive?
- What are the things that still hurt you?
- What are regrets that you have that you want to forgive yourself for?
Allow yourself to finally release all the emotions. Forgive yourself. Let yourself heal.
I do this every year at the end of the year to properly and fully let go of negative emotions. They can hold you back.
This exercise can be one filled with healing and self-compassion. It’s okay to let go.
When to read it: perhaps never again. Let it all go, tuck it away, and move on.
My Tips for Writing Letters to Yourself
-
Write it down on paper
There’s nothing like using your own handwriting to write a letter. Choose beautiful stationery, pull out your best pen, and carefully write the letter. What’s great is that by writing it on paper, you can take it along with you and read it anytime.
-
Enclose it and open it in the future
If you’re writing a letter to your future self, enclose it and mark the envelope with the date to open it. When the time comes, don’t forget to read it!
-
Write a digital letter
If you prefer, write the letter digitally. You can save it on your desktop, or use a tool like FutureMe which automatically sends the letter to you on the date you decide. It’s usually a wonderful and unexpected surprise to find in your inbox.
-
Keep the letters accessible
Choose a special spot for your letters, whether it’s a box of personal items or amongst all your journals. If written digitally, make a folder for it.
-
Reread the letter as needed
These letters are for you, and only you. Pour your heart into it, and allow yourself to take strength from it. Smile and remember how far you’ve come!
-
Enjoy the process & make it a habit
Enjoy writing these letters to yourself! Make a habit out of it if you’d like. I personally love writing letters to myself at the end of every year. It helps me let go of things, and also set intentions each year.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, letter-writing to yourself is an act of self-love.
Allow yourself to dig deep, be vulnerable, leave it all on paper. Release emotions that may be bottled up within, and you’ll find yourself feeling better afterward.
The best part is that you’ll always have these letters (if you choose to keep them). You can keep coming back to them as often as needed, and access the wisdom, inspiration, and guidance that came straight from your heart.
Happy letter writing!
Which letter will you write first?
Leave a comment below!
PIN FOR LATER
RELATED PRODUCTS
