RE: Psychology Addict # 41 | Leaving the Past Behind
Oh, what a surprise to see me quoted at the beginning of your article! Thank you very much for honoring the idea behind the statement.
The proposal to write ourselves a letter of the future "I" is extraordinarily creative and strengthens the narrative side that also constitutes us as human beings. You are right, it empowers you in another way and through the letter thoughts and intentions become concrete.
I liked your examples, they made the abstract plastic - listening to a song and thinking about the ex as well as the achievements and thinking about the younger self.
One of my teachers once asked me what my life film would look like if I were a film director and I found this question very inspiring. This question is especially helpful when you are plagued by the past as well as worried about the future.
Fear of the future is, so to speak, the evil sister of the obsession of the past :)
It's nice that writing a letter to yourself applies to both directions.
One could push the idea even further. Now, if the letter is dated August 11, 2025 and one would open it only then: How would that affect you? A really exciting question.
Hello Erika,
Thank you for this wonderful feedback! 😊
Your teacher's question is a fascinating one, for sure. It follows the whole concept of 'try to be the protagonist of your own life, rather than a secondary actor in someone else's'
Your observation about the fear of the future is a truthful one. This is something that indeed invades the mind of many, many people to the point of incapacitating them through extreme levels of anxiety.
Dating the letter is definitely the way to go, as it helps people to look further ad further ahead. To begin with a letter from your future-self in 2 weeks time. After all, the idea is in avoiding a far-fetched improved-future-self. The more concrete it becomes, the more distant the past feels; hence, less frightening :)
It is beautiful isn't' it?
Much love to you 😘
Indeed, it is beautiful.
😘