Your Future Self

Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Every February, I joke that An Post staff will be wrecked because of me! Having to haul all those Valentine’s cards and flowers and gifts on the 14th February! I’m sure they’ll have to work overtime to cope! Of course, I am joking! We have a tradition in our household that my mom posts Valentine’s cards (perhaps mom thinks I don’t recognise her handwriting or simply because mom knows it’s nice to receive a card on Valentine’s Day).

This month, why not post a card to someone? It doesn’t have to be a Valentine’s card, but if it is…I’m sure you’ll make that person’s day!

As far as I know, February is named in honour of a festival in ancient Rome, believed to purify the city whilst promoting health and fertility. February is a short month, and I often think that the good intentions (new year’s resolutions) are forgotten by February or they’re part of healthy routines. ‘Well done’ if you’re in the latter group.

If you have never done this, perhaps you might write a letter to your future self?  Sit down and commit your words to paper – don’t just think about what you might write, actually write! Allow yourself the time. This is a good exercise for our future selves. This exercise is not about looking back in time and reminiscing about our mistakes, this is to challenge yourself to examine what you might do differently, what do you want for your future self. Set your intentions to paper.

Each of us has experience, advice and knowledge that we might tend to ignore because we are caught up with life and and the day-to-day grind. You might answer the question ‘what advice would I give to someone else in my shoes?’ As humans we are great to give advice but might not be that open to putting it into practice ourselves.

Perhaps you might want your future self to be a painter or have stopped spending so much or to have forged strong friendships or to live with particular values or live a life full of meaning which we know breeds contentment. We will each write something unique.

Whether you are twenty or eighty – write the letter!

Enjoy February! Be your own Valentine and treat yourself!

www.carolinecrotty.ie