📖Writing to future me

How journalling with our future self in mind can help us stay rooted in what matters now

Good morning lovely people,

Not long ago, I found myself flicking back through an old journal. I’d written a letter to my future self during a time when things felt unclear and busy (a recurring theme, it seems!). I remember sitting down that day and thinking, What would future me want to hear? What would be kind, useful, grounding?

The letter was full of gentle reminders. I’d written things like:

• “You don’t have to do everything perfectly to be doing a good job.”

• “Make time for joy — even a little bit.”

• “You’re allowed to rest.”

Reading it back was like receiving a small act of kindness from someone who knew me well — which of course, I did. It brought me back to myself.

That’s the quiet power of journalling with our future self in mind. It’s not about trying to predict or plan every step ahead. It’s about slowing down enough to ask: What will I need to remember when things feel hard? What will help me stay connected to what matters?

When I write this way, it often shifts how I feel right now. I become more aware of my needs in the present. More mindful of the ways I might be pushing through, ignoring signals from my body or mind. More able to be a bit more gentle on myself.

A few prompts to try

Here are some future-self journalling prompts I return to when I’m feeling disconnected or overwhelmed. You can answer them in whatever format feels good: a letter, a list, scattered thoughts on the page.

• “Dear Future Me, here’s what I hope you’ll remember…”

• “If I could give you one piece of encouragement right now, it would be…”

• “When things feel hard, try to…”

• “These are the things that make you feel most like you — don’t forget them.”

• “If nothing else, please know…”

Sometimes I write a full letter to myself one month or one year from now. Sometimes I just jot down a few bullet points. Either way, I find that this practice opens up a space that’s both reflective and gently proactive — like planting seeds of care I can come back to later.

Why this works

When we imagine our future self, we engage with a part of us that often gets drowned out in the noise of daily life. The version of ourselves that knows what matters. That sees the bigger picture. That wants to live with intention, even when things are messy.

And when we ask, What would help future me?, we often land on things we’ve been needing in the present moment all along.

So if you’re feeling a bit lost, stuck, or just weary — consider picking up your journal and saying hello to your future self. You might be surprised by how much they already know.

With warm wishes as always

Hannah x