How to write a letter to myself, to be opened in 1001 days

Posted by: Amanda on: Saturday 29.Jan.11

• In: 101 in 1001 | Words
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“This activity forced me to focus and be honestly introspective.”

How I did it: I considered where I’d be in 1001 days (just three months shy of three years). I told myself this was a goal I wanted to complete, and now that I’ve done it I’m glad that I did.I had to be honest with myself, and consider where I would be at that time. What new goals I might want to be reaching for. I aimed to make the letter current now, but also relevant for the time I’d be opening the letter to reread it.I wanted this letter to act as a reminder of where I am now, so when I get to the end of this 1001 days I can take a look at my progress, and see what I’ve learned, but also assess what I have yet to learn or accomplish.

Lessons & tips: I wish I’d had pointers to set my mind at ease when I did this exercise. Hopefully this will help someone else:

• Relax: It may feel awkward at first, like you’re forcing yourself into forward thinking that you’re not prepared for. Shake that feeling, and imagine you’re writing to a friend you don’t know very well yet.
• Determine your purpose: Consider what kind of letter you want this to be. Do you want to remind yourself of who you were? Is there somewhere you want to be in three years, that you want to make sure you keep in mind?
• Just Write: Once you get started, the rest won’t be as hard as you might think. Let your mind wander in a stream of consciousness, like a conversation. It’ll turn out alright. Remember, unless you give it to someone else, you’re the only person reading this anyway! It’s not as though you’re going to embarrass yourself in public by doing this activity.

Resources:

• Pen
• Paper
• Envelope
• Location for finished letter

Find a place for your letter, where you won’t forget it. If you’re tracking your progress in a journal or blog, or on 43Things, you might want to make a note of where stashed your letter. Three years is a long time to remember where you put something!

It took me 1 day.

It made me Thoughtful

See more progress on: Write a letter to myself, to be opened in 1001 days

Tags: 101 in 1001, 43 Things, Letter Writing, Thought