Have you ever wondered what you will be like and what you will have accomplished 10 years from now? Are there lessons you’ve learned you never want to forget? How about writing a letter to your future self and connecting yourself to the future?

Dear Future Me:

How are things going?  Have I been following my dreams? Have I made it?

I understand if I’m not where I thought I would be.  Sometimes things work out differently than expected, but have I made the most of what I’ve been given?

Right now, my goals include buying a house within five years and getting settled in my career.  I would like to be married and start a family, but I also understand those things don’t always go according to plan.  After some time, I would like to start a small business, maybe even sell products at the local farmers markets.  Currently I’m not sure what product I want to sell, but I know inspiration will come as I continue to explore new ideas.

Future me, I hope I am still a saver when it comes to money.  There are so many things I want to do and see, and it won’t happen if I spend more than I make.  But I’m trying to set good habits now so I can be more successful.

Future me, have my dreams changed? Have I myself changed and grown?  I hope I have, and I hope I am a better person than I am today.  I hope I continue to help those less fortunate and become a friend to all.

Keep moving forward despite the hard and discouraging times; success is always within reach.  Smile, it will help me feel better and brighten the day of those around me.

I believe in me!

Love,

Me

Writing a letter to your future self is something that can be truly beneficial.  Do you ever look back on your recent past or distant past and think, “I’ve changed so much,” or “I haven’t quite accomplished what I hoped to at this point in my life?” Have you forgotten what your dreams were five or 10 years ago?

I want to invite you to write a letter to your future self. Pick a date — five, 10, 20, or however many years in the future you’d like.  Include things that are meaningful to you, hopes, dreams, passions, apprehensions, fears, etc.  For example, you could write about a weakness you are trying to overcome and in the years to come, you may find that though it was challenging, you were able to change.

Other things you may include as you write your letter:

•       Things you’ve learned in life and want to keep close
•       Things you’d like to improve
•       Things you think you are already good at
•       Motivational thoughts
•       Dreams and goals
•       Financial, career, and family goals and plans
•       What motivates you to work hard
•       Dates you are planning to have some specific things accomplished
•       Ask yourself things you truly wonder about your future self
•       Talk about what you are already doing to accomplish your goals

Ask, “What am I doing now to be the person I’d like to become?  That is where it all starts.

Writing to yourself gives you the opportunity to check in on progress and reassess where in your life needs more work and effort.  Maybe you find in 10 years you have drifted far from your goals, but the goal still remains.  What are you willing to change now to reach that goal? Reading this letter to yourself can help you realign and re-evaluate how you will reach further than you ever have before.

You can write a handwritten letter and store it in an envelope labeled with the date you would like to open it.  Another option is provided at www.futureme.org where you can write a letter and it will be emailed to you on the date you request.

Make It a Back –To- School Family Activity

You could even make this a family affair and invite your children to write a letter to themselves about what they want to accomplish in the coming school year. Let them set personal goals for themselves, acknowledge their strengths, and identify things they want to work on.  Then it could be fun for the whole family to read their own letters at the end of the school year and see what has happened in all of your lives the past nine months.

This article was written by KJ Lamplugh, USU Extension Finance & FCS Program Assistant, Salt Lake County

References:

https://www.futureme.org/