On Your Birthday, Write to Next Year's You
Past a certain age, birthdays get quiet. The cake shrinks, the wishes get practical, and even "happy birthday to me" starts to feel like a formality. But your birthday is still the best day of the year for a conversation with yourself — it's the one milestone that belongs to you alone. More and more people mark it the same way: write a letter to next year's you. What did this year of your life add up to? What did you pull off, what did you fumble, what are you wishing for? Seal it, schedule it for your next birthday, and every year you'll receive a letter from the person you were — a relay race run one year at a time, each age handing off to the next. Keep it up and the letters become a private chronicle only you can fully read; one writer went from twenty to thirty, and those ten letters side by side are more honest than any photo album. Below are birthday letters people chose to share. This year, after the candles, do one more thing: leave a few lines for the you of next year.
Ideas to get you started
- Take stock of the year: one thing you're proud of, one regret, one person you're most grateful for. Those three lines are a snapshot of who you are at this age.
- Make three wishes in writing — one for work, one for the people you love, one just for you. Score yourself when you open it next year.
- Record your current baseline: where you live, who you see most, what's worrying you lately. The changes will surprise you in twelve months.
- Schedule delivery for your next birthday and make it an annual ritual. Delivery within a year is free.
Real letters from the vault
636 public letters
Photo letter
不知你还记得你的目标
不知你是否过着你自己愿意过的日子，希望是这样，生日刚过，晚来的祝福，爱你！我希望你现在每天开开心心，还记得外婆现在的时候是生病的时候，你希望自己可以找到治愈肿瘤的药物，你昨天刚看到胰岛素发明者的经历，人生不会穷一辈子，总会穷一阵子，这些都是财富，加油！多翻翻最先进的外文文献，有很多重要的思想，是你可
时光下的脚步
Mar 19, 2015 · Traveled 5 years
写给未来的自己
今天是“你”的十三岁生日哟，怎么样，初中生活是不是很不习惯啊，有没有认识一些新的朋友呢，不要忘记了，小学六年来陪我们一起玩耍的莹莹哟~
念酱
Mar 23, 2015 · Traveled 6 months 15 days
小天使
生日快乐宝贝 今天想给你徐吊一堆记得第一次给你谈的时候我还有点傲娇哈哈说话也徐吊 说实话我真羡慕以前的我 我生气不理你你还会哄我还会找我现在我真怕我一点不对让你生气现在我不找你说话你也不找我烦死人了马上都没话题天天都是省略号.奥.嗯.哦.抠鼻 心好累你造吗!我都是喜欢粘一块的感觉T^T现在真不爽你造
guoyyyh
Mar 25, 2015 · Traveled 1 day
写给未来的我
今天又是你的生日了。这时你在读哪个学校。虽然我不知道。但是好好努力吧。她会喜欢你的。。。。
n735
Apr 4, 2015 · Traveled 11 months 30 days
写给未来的我
又是你的生日了，现在你应该在工作了吧，或许现在想起我来，你感到很幼稚。现在 还记得她吗？或许你已经不爱她了，如果你还是个男子汉，好好工作，努力吧。
n735
Apr 4, 2015 · Traveled 9 years 11 months
给陈暖暖的一封信
嗯，陈文慧啊，现在的你应该初三了吧，学习很累吧，是不是也想过放弃，但是啊你不能放弃，因为你还有信仰啊，你有你的王源还有其他两只啊，不知道你现在和你的蓝颜怎么样了呢，也不知道你有没有找到那个人，初三了啊，请好好读书吧，努力考上一个高中吧，记住毕业那天千万不能哭，也不知道你现在和楼大傻是什么样了，朱柯亮
故事与你
Apr 4, 2015 · Traveled 1 year 1 month
亲爱的莎莎，你还好吗
亲爱的莎莎： 生日快乐！为了确定你的生日日期，我翻遍了你空间的留言，如果消息准确的话，今天就是你的生日了。这封邮件写于2015年，现在的我在努力想象这十年后的你会是什么样子，过着什么样的生活，结婚了吗？有孩子了吗？我们还联系吗？在南方还是北方？可是很多假设都被我否定了，毕竟未来，谁都无法预知。不过，
芊舞
Apr 5, 2015 · Traveled 10 years 9 months
嗯…忘记了吗
成年快乐不知道是否能看见这封信，不知道是否还记得，也几乎可以预料到十八岁的自己看见这封信时满满的羞耻感吧说什么好呢现在的我，还没有参加诊断考试和直升考试呢【用考试来度量会感到奇怪么？压力，困惑，不解，都是青春期的表现吧【这么中二的话现在都觉得想想就行写下来真是不好意思啊思绪混乱的不行锦户亮 锦户亮
n738
Apr 5, 2015 · Traveled 3 years 3 months
王鑫，你成功了吗？
现在你是大一，不对，应该是我是大一，你是大四毕业后的我，我选择了生日的这天。想给未来的你一个特殊的生日礼物。 我现在真的很懒。很懒，现在我想做一个网站，能赚钱的网站，想在大学期间有所作为，但是我真的很懒哎，域名我都买好了。空间没买，因为我没想好作什么类型的网站，小说网站有风险，其余的需要空间又太大，
梦非烟丶
Apr 25, 2015 · Traveled 3 years 4 months
生日快乐
my dear, please be brave.时间总是最不留情的 他才不会在乎你留下什么 失去什么 也是最公平的 给每个人一样的时间 至于你挥霍或利用都取决与你我本想在五天后给你这封信 突然我就改变主意了 看 这决定做的多利落干脆 可你怎么就不能每件事都这么利落干脆 犹豫犹豫 想这想那 你已经浪
n768
Apr 30, 2015 · Traveled 1 year
给未来的自己
骚年这个月过后可以去网吧了，是不是(｡･∀･)ﾉﾞ嗨，你成年了，骚年努力吧！！
CARRY
May 12, 2015 · Traveled 2 years
写给30岁的你
亲爱的宝贝，baby：今天你要满30岁了，不要在乎以前的路，不要害怕未来的路，要活得越来越自由，不知道现在的你有没有小孩了，如果有早早了，请爱护她成为幸福的人，奶奶和父母一定很健康，你和徐浚淇现在肯定很厉害了吧，你还是一如既往的单纯吧，请务必善待这个世界，勇敢努力，等过了这个生日，记得给40岁的自己
黑陶与普洱
May 27, 2015 · Traveled 3 years 1 month
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to write it on the birthday itself?
No — a few days before or after is fine. What matters is the delivery date: set it to next year's birthday, and the arrival becomes the ritual.
Is this only for writing to myself?
Not at all. Plenty of people write to a friend or partner ahead of time, scheduled to land on that person's birthday — a gift that was prepared with a whole year to spare.
What if I forget to write the next one?
The best moment to write next year's letter is right after opening this year's — the feelings are still warm. That's exactly how long-time users keep the chain going.
On Your Birthday, Write to Next Year's You
Write yours