“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank.
Hopes and Dreams
Ever wondered how it would be like if we knew about our future? We all go through the days when we can see no hope and no future. We think we are barely going to make it through our crisis and cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel but only darkness. Would it have been easier if we just knew that how our life would be in future?
We all dream about our future how it would be, we have certain goals and aspirations that we want to achieve. But often these dreams and aspirations get so blurry on the way that it seems impossible we would get there.
If only we could know that we have achieved our goals and dreams in the future and that the present obstacles would no longer sustain in the future! Holding on to this thought, let’s take a moment to gain insight into the future; to visualize that you’ve accomplished what you’ve been working on in the present.
Letter to myself
Writing as a form of expressive art can be very fulfilling and beneficial and also to observe and recognize our thoughts and feelings. We have all written letters in our school days as part of letter writing; and also to our friends and family in the good, old, younger days. Ever thought of writing a letter to yourself?
‘A letter from my future self’ is a remedial process that one can use to project themselves in to the future; to be able to look ahead and see yourself as you desire to be. It’s about marking the destination from ‘who we are’ to ‘who we will be’ in the future. It can be a simple fun activity that you can easily do on your own.
Get Writing
To start with the activity first find a quiet place to yourself to write. Get emotionally, physically, and mentally charged up to write down in detail how your life is like in future. The most important thing to start with is to mention the present date when you write the letter and think of a timeline in context to your goals and in what time in the future you’re writing. There is no correct way to write the letter from your future self, but it is important to write in the present tense as if you have time travelled to the future. You can literally write anything you desire that could be physical, mental, emotional and monetary. Remember you are writing to yourself from the future.
So what do we write?
You would think you are not a good writer or you might not be sure as to what you want to be or where you want to head in the future. That is completely relatable. You just got to earnestly think and introspect your emotions and feelings and believe that the future has turned out to be just the way you had desired it to be. You’re already there where you are headed now!
You start with penning down what have you achieved so far? How are you feeling after your accomplishments? What are your current thoughts on being able to achieve your goals? Think how difficult it was getting there and imagine the kind of challenges you might have faced on the way, taking cue from your present challenges. Reflect how you must have got there and how you overcame challenges to reach your goal. Do you think your present challenges that you face on daily basis still prevail in the future or those were just temporary? How does life look like on a daily basis in prospect? Where will you be settled and what you will be doing? How have things been better in life and what has changed in your life for your better self? These are a few questions to think over that you could pose to your older self.
Keep in mind
Here are some pointers that you can keep in mind while writing:
- Just get creative and focus on the outcome that you are working for in present and believe that it will happen to you and let it flow on the paper.
- The most essential part is to mention five or more good qualities about yourself that has made you attain what you’ve decided for your future.
- So, once you are done writing it, just put it in an envelope and revisit it only in the crucial times when you feel the need to be motivated and inspired to reach your goals in life!
- More importantly detach yourself from the outcome and get to the action of creating that outcome and that future for yourself!
How does it help?
We often make choices based on our current problems and seek instant gratification and solutions in our life not thinking of what would be significant in the future. This not only helps us envision our future but also helps us connect to our future possibilities. Thus it becomes easier to plan your path towards your destination. This technique helps you get better understanding about yourself and you get to be your own guide from the future in your journey. It can help you yield results in the ways you cannot imagine. In the hard times of discouragement, it can drive you to make progress towards your goals. It is a great way to be in touch with the needs and desires of who you’ll be in the future. It is to boost you in the times of trial and contempt. It is to contemplate and reflect that what it is today is worth for a better tomorrow!
So get writing and wait to see how it would manifest in reality in the future. Let your ‘future you’ thank you for what you’re today and the journey you are on!! Good Luck!
POOJA PARMAR
Development Coach