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给未来的你
也许你会觉得我现在写得这封信很差劲，但你却不得不承认这就是十年前你写的。我也是在无意中发现了这个网站，然后发神经的给你写了这么封信，只是祝你在十年后的这一天里生日快乐，不管是成功与否，都不要忘记你是这么过来的。 十年前的你是一个什么都不会的人，有一份不是你喜欢的工作，就算是这样你也没勇气去换，有一段
恠颩中淩薍
Mar 29, 2013 · Traveled 10 years 5 months
Photo letter
又过去一年~~
Today is my birthday.I say it in English because i can't input Chinese.But i have another ideal .哈哈，我先在电脑上打出来在，然后直接复制粘贴就好了。果然行，这招还不错。。呵呵。。。today I'm 2
我的世界
Mar 30, 2013 · Traveled 1 year
30岁的诗诗
30岁的诗诗： 您好。生日快乐。诗诗，很喜欢这个昵称呢。很动听。谢卓诗。对吧 ，一直很喜欢这个名字。 今天，30岁了。我在二十岁那年立下的十年计划，今天到了deadline啦。这是当年在饭否上的：所在地：广东自述：生活家@梦想 ：组建我和你的家@-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
sunZ诗
Mar 31, 2013 · Traveled 8 years 10 months
写给22岁的自己
大琴子，过了今天你就22岁了，不知道是不是如愿以偿的看了《致我们终将逝去的青春》。昨晚无意中翻到了自己17岁那年参加学校运动会时的照片，看着上面青春洋溢的自己，脸上盛着满满的微笑，没来由嘴角上翘，那时候的自己真美好。 17岁的自己渴望上大学，渴望校园恋情，幻想着能有一个安静幸福的未来。然而，今天我2
夜色塔拉
Apr 1, 2013 · Traveled 25 days
Photo letter
我自己还好吗？
王卓： 这一年，你还好吗？这一年你实现了自己的销售梦想吗？ 祝我生日快乐，祝我身体健康，每天都开心，2013年里我学会一句话，我觉得好有道理：生活有进有退，输什么也不能输了心情，我希望我自己在这一年里找到合适的工作，找到心仪的另一半。 2014了，你旁边多了一个人吗？她是谁？是她？是她？还是她呢？
销魂小卓卓
Apr 5, 2013 · Traveled 1 year 7 months
Photo letter
写给25岁的你
嘿 亲爱的， 25岁的李引。 收到这封信请不要讶异，我是来自2013年19岁的李引。时间过得好快，5年了，今天是你25岁的生日，祝美丽的你生日快乐！ 5年前的你，还是一个已经大一即将跨入大二的学生。读着一个高不成低不就并且毫无兴趣不小心手指一抖报错了的专业。觉得很奇怪吧 , 现在还能想起来吗? 不过
李引不是这个颖
Apr 6, 2013 · Traveled 5 years 7 months
Photo letter
TO:21岁的姐妹
亲爱的警察阿姨，答应过你的要给你的未来写一封信，嗯，你收到信的今天是农历4月25，你的21岁的生日。恭喜我们的警察阿姨，你终于有了2字开头的年龄。我们认识快8年了，从一开始的好朋友，到后面的闺蜜，然后就是姐妹。我爱你，就如同你爱我一样。每次想你就特别想哭，我们有太多相同的过去。过去，回不去。所以才会
我不是你的卓别林
Apr 8, 2013 · Traveled 1 month 26 days
Photo letter
劉 銳 （收）
Hi,宝贝，不知道当你看到这封信时,还能不能记得我,或者说,我们还在不在一个公司工作.或者说我们还是不是朋友,或者说我们还是不是无话不说的闺蜜，这么晚了忽然想给你写封信,跟你聊聊天儿.在353吃饭的时候,你跟我说:第一次见面时没有想到我们会在一起吃饭吧.嘻嘻,真的,真的想不到会这样,恩....可能我
丛
Apr 10, 2013 · Traveled 11 months 4 days
写给未来的自己
亲爱的你： 你好！ 请不要惊讶于我用这样生疏的语气，仅仅只是我希望，未来，不再是现在的我，你应该更漂亮，更自信，更优秀，更有底气去面对即将步入的社会。我选择在这一天寄给你，这一天你生日，在零点的钟声响起，我希望的第一份生日礼物，是自己曾经的期望,我相信 ，未来的那一刻，我可以自豪的告诉自己， I m
等在时光里的风景
Apr 19, 2013 · Traveled 3 years 4 months
Photo letter
Happy birthday ！My baby~
亲爱的，生日快乐！
Flying_Vivian
Apr 19, 2013 · Traveled 1 month 8 days
Photo letter
生日快乐！
嗨，亲爱的，生日快乐！！！又老了一岁了压力又大一分了吧收到想要的祝福了么？感谢老爸老妈的关爱与抚养感谢自己的努力感谢身边关心爱护自己的人你要更加学会珍惜 学会感恩 你要更成熟些了收敛好自己的脾气少些抱怨 少些计较多长点心眼 想的更深些 你已经大三了多学习少玩耍吧努力两年 以后会更幸福加油！爱生活 爱
瑶姑娘11
Apr 20, 2013 · Traveled 7 months 23 days
给20岁的自己 生日快乐
今天你20岁了。加油！好好学二专，好好学日语 好好珍惜与他的缘分，珍惜那一份安心的触动。家和万事兴，我们家要好好地，健健康康每一个人，过属于我们自己的感动与甜蜜我的闺蜜们你们都要幸福！！！一起加油！爱我的人，我爱的人，都好好哒卢平妮~~~生日快乐！！
妮子要努力幸福
Apr 21, 2013 · Traveled 1 month 23 days
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