An Enduring Promise

As is my custom, there are certain things I make a point of doing every year. You've probably thought of some of the things you do yourself. I wanted to talk about one of those things that I’ve carried out with great enthusiasm this year. It's the longest-standing promise I've made to myself, and it's one of the most beautiful gifts I've given myself. Perhaps this post will inspire you to experience something similar. I’m going to show you a method that stretches from the present into the future.

People make many decisions and give many promises at different times and in different emotional states. This demonstrates a desire for change and enables us to compare the past with the future. It’s an ideal way to observe what’s happening. However, the outcome isn’t always positive, yet we find it hard to let go of these promises.

In fact, there are two “selves” within each of us: our current self and our future self. It is not always easy to predict how our future self will develop. People tend to dwell on the negative and overlook positive developments. However, the more we recall these positive aspects, both large and small, the more significant they become. They bring us inner peace and ease the pain of the present moment.

So, what if the “present me” were to summarise what has happened and pass it on to the “future me”? Or what if you were to reflect on your life from your current “present”, listening to your thoughts? After all, these are your own words and who could understand you better than your past self? You might learn something from them and realise that you need to communicate different things to your future self.

Photo by Alicia Petresc on Unsplash

This practice, which allows you to become your own companion, simply involves writing a letter.

I have faithfully followed this process every year since 2014, and it has now become something of a ritual for me. Each time, I send the letter digitally and ensure it embarks on a year-long journey through time. Unlike the essays and stories I used to write, these letters are much clearer and more sincere.

Imagine you had to write a letter to your future self. What would you say? The answer depends on who you're writing to, why, and in which year. Of course, you could write one for 50 years from now. You never know — it might not be you who opens that letter. Nevertheless, your child or grandchild could read it on your behalf.

I use a site called FutureMe for this. It has been offering this service for around 24 years. It's very simple to use: just write your letter and send it to the date of your choice.

My letter from 2025, FutureMe - Source

Reading my old letters suddenly transports me back to that time and those moments. What I wrote reminds me just how quickly life can change. Even the life that seems most unchanging is affected by time.

The more years that pass, the more I realise that I have so much more to say. My words have multiplied. I have filled both the present moment and the future with hopes and wishes. Gradually, I have learnt to distinguish between dreams and what is actually possible. It’s fascinating to see my growth through this lens. Yes, I have more to say, but I’ve also learned to avoid grandstanding, to take things one step at a time, and to recognise my own worth. This is important for everyone since, as mentioned, people tend to cling to negativity more easily. However, there’s no point in projecting these onto the future. Let our future selves savour not only the bad memories that won't leave our minds, but also the beautiful moments we have already experienced.

Thanks to these letters, it’s as if I’m looking in a mirror. As I review the past year, I can see my true self: There is no face before me, blurred neither by tears nor adorned with make-up. Every year on this day, I find myself face to face with my reality, which is as clear, sincere and inescapable as it gets.

Every moment shapes who we are. While it is easy to be swept away by emotions, time passes and we cannot live the same way forever. However, our words have a far more powerful and evocative impact. This is because we have experienced those exact words at some point in our lives.

That’s why I’d like to ask you to give this a go, just once. You don't have to send it a year from now. It's just my preference to let that time pass. I want to see how I've changed. Send a letter to the future and see how you view it when the time comes. Do you know what the best part is? It arrives just when you've forgotten, reminding you of who you are. It will sometimes make you cry and sometimes make you smile, and it will certainly have an impact.

So make a small investment and write a letter to your future self today!