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生日快乐，兔子
写这封信的时候正是暑假，在志愿填完后而录取结果还没下来之前，此时的你大概在南京大学的宿舍里焦急的期盼着你某人的消息吧，当然，肯定不是我，看到这里别生气，因为生气也没用，此时我肯定还在睡觉。 虽然你告诉我你报的是北京，但以我对你的了解，你应该不算骗我，但你真正去的学校或许在南京。我不知道你为什么不愿告
九月猫
Jul 8, 2016 · Traveled 5 months 13 days
生日快乐
生日快乐 时间过了这么久，也许有种种不愉快，但是在这我还是要送上我的祝福，祝你开开心心每一天，笑口常开，要相信爱笑的人运气总是不会差的!!! 等你看到这的时候，是几年后的时间了，其实我还是很怀念我们的在一起的时光，只是中间的过程中我们发生了很多不应该发生的状况，说了一些不该说的话，想想心里难受后悔，
一直爱着你
Jul 15, 2016 · Traveled 17 days
备忘录
霄霄姐啊，还记得你自己说过的话吗？还有三天老公过生日啦，记得亲手做个蛋糕给他哦~——21岁的凌霄2016.7.15
n1577
Jul 15, 2016 · Traveled 1 year 11 months
给未来的zr
30years old happy birthday!!! this is the gift for you .if now you have a lot of trouble please be happy . trust your self!!!! everything will be okay
zr
Jul 21, 2016 · Will travel 17 years 1 month
写给未来的…
亲爱的自己，此时此刻你正在做什么呢？身边有没有人给你庆祝生日呢，我想你应该有工作吧，在奋斗吧。如果此时的你正处于低谷，请不要气馁，继续加油努力，也许我还是没男朋友，but so what?我还是可以放声大笑，好好生活，相信一切都会好起来的。
一只在彷徨中奋斗的猪
Jul 25, 2016 · Traveled 3 years 9 months
亲爱的自己，你好。
生日快乐，今天你已经15岁了^-^ 我是两个月前的你，现在的你早已步入了高一，你有了新的学校，新的同学，希望你无论怎样，一定要乐观乐观快乐快乐，就像此刻的我一样，在寄信给你的时候，我的心情很愉悦，想把快乐寄给每一个你，亲爱的自己。 你的同学都是怎么样子的呢？善良的你已经和他们相处融洽了吧，你在一个优
用户RcIOQo
Aug 22, 2016 · Traveled 2 months 6 days
生日快乐
第二个生日啦 希望以后可以过更多生日 生日快乐 好好学习 生活幸福
n1645
Aug 22, 2016 · Traveled 1 day
写给你自己
嘿，今天是你18岁的生日。大学生活开始三个月了，你过得怎么样呢？还习惯吗？今天是自己一个人悄悄的过吗？有没有想谁呢？学习的怎么样，朋友认识的如何？今天成人了 该长大了，要好好照顾自己哦
是我
Sep 4, 2016 · Traveled 3 months 18 days
写给未来的…自己
生日快乐，最近有没有泡在图书馆享受一个人的时光呢，有没有好好学习啊，有没有认真读课外书呢，我就是想提醒一下你，不要忘了自己还有梦想，不要每天做无意义的事，希望今天的你可以比昨天更好，就够了，加油吧！！！！
正能量坚定
Oct 6, 2016 · Traveled 25 days
生日快乐
亲爱的生日快乐，现在是2016.10.10日，在写这封邮件的时候我们刚刚经历过争吵，说了放弃也说了再见 。 感谢上天让我遇到你，带给我那么多美好的回忆。人生中第一束玫瑰，第一件情侣服，第一个有意义的情人节，第一次滑雪，第一次大荔……，你带我去看房子，小小的毛坯房，你给我说着家居摆设，装修风格，你说房
Smile_Zzing
Oct 10, 2016 · Traveled 5 months 10 days
Photo letter
宝宝
宝宝，生日快乐！开心的吃 开心的喝
CNM
Oct 11, 2016 · Traveled 6 months 20 days
(*˘︶˘*).。.:*♡
知道今天是什么日子么，今天(๑•̌.•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣是高考的日子，但是更重要的是，今天是你的生日Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ 。 之前我傻了
未来么
Oct 20, 2016 · Traveled 1 year 7 months
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