Write a Letter to Your Future Self: A Journey Through Time
When you look back today—three years, five years, or ten years from now—how many details will you remember from this time? Do you recall how you felt back then compared to how you feel today? Do you remember what was on your mind on the same day back then? Do you recall what was most important at that time? Most of us do not remember these details, and that is quite natural; we tend to forget things. Our brains are incredibly powerful, but their capacity is still limited. With the information overload that the world throws at us, it’s impossible to memorize everything. Our minds are naturally selective for good reasons. We pay more attention to what is relevant at the moment. When I worked for a large automotive corporation years ago, I paid much more attention to cars than I do today. When I worked in marketing for an insurance company in China, I was much more attentive to insurance ads and anything related to insurance. Our minds filter out what is relevant to our lives at that moment—it’s a natural instinct that increases survival. In the medium and long term, our brains usually store what our bodies perceive as long-term relevant. But what about all those other wonderful things? Aren’t many of them worth paying attention to and capturing as well? Is our mind missing things that might not be relevant for survival but that add incredible value to our lives?
To capture what’s on one’s mind, some people write diaries. It’s a powerful tool; writing things down helps some people reflect and think things over. Years later, it offers a perspective that we might otherwise miss. Of course, we can’t turn back time, but looking back sometimes helps us reflect on the path we’ve taken. Writing a diary isn’t really my thing, partly because my handwriting is so terrible that not even I might be able to read it…
Recently, I tried something different: I wrote a long letter (typed, not handwritten) about what is on my mind, what matters to me now, and where I see myself in a few years. I could store it in my files and see if I ever read it again. But there’s another option: I found an agency that, for a fee, will safely keep your letter and send it back to you at a future date of your choosing. There are many options, such as three, five, or ten years. I chose a date five years from now when I will receive my letter back. I find this a great tool. It will be exciting to see the impact this will have on me in five years when the letter arrives. Give it a try; maybe it will add some value to your life as well.
