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
李数，生日快乐
生日快乐，加油！我爱你！❤️
n2037
May 1, 2017 · Traveled 28 days
Photo letter
生日快乐
生日快乐！！！！！！！！！！！！！！都过了2个月才写这封信，哎。。越来越懒惰了，好习惯呢？梦想呢？ 这一年经历是很丰富的，换了个公司，开头是美好的，也确实很努力，也确实很受器重，可以说天时地利人和，可惜最后功亏于溃。 从技术开始转型做产品，路途还很长 有时候也有点泄气，不知所措；到底要怎样做；只想简
我的世界
Jun 1, 2017 · Traveled 9 months 29 days
写给未来的…
小芳： 在过十八天了，我祝你生日快乐，可能现在你正在学校读书看不到，但我还是祝你生日快乐，虽然没有蛋糕，没有礼物。但是，我以后肯定给你补回来，想吃多少块都行。 这么多年，也没人给你过过生日，没人给你唱过生日歌，今天，我来给你唱： 祝你生日快乐，祝你生日快乐，祝你生日快乐，祝你生日快乐。祝你13岁生日
n2141
Jun 25, 2017 · Traveled 3 months
8月24
生日快乐，我知道没人会庆祝你的生日，可你自己要对自己好一点。
XLB
Jul 1, 2017 · Traveled 1 month 23 days
未来的你，我在2017年给你写信呢
Dear FutureMe,首先，今天是你的生日，祝你23生日快乐！你在做什么呢，你是否完成了自己现在的理想，还是继续懒惰活在自己的臆想之中，还是你已经向现实妥协了，你知道我希望你是一个理想主义者和行动派，被生活磨去菱角依然坚持自己，如果你还没完成，那么你现在也为时不晚，奋起去做吧，勇敢一点，别像一
李哲翎18580
Jul 7, 2017 · Traveled 1 year 11 months
Photo letter
写给三年后的自己
HELLO！三年后27岁的自己你好！生日快乐！！我是24岁的你，今天是农历二零一七年六月十五日，也是你人生中第二个本命年。小时候的你总是期待着过生日，现在却是越来越害怕过生日，害怕别人说你老了，害怕别人说怎么还没结婚，害怕没人记得你的生日，但又怎么样呢？这一天还不是得成为过去，希望随着岁月你增加的不
CanruoStars
Jul 8, 2017 · Traveled 3 years
Photo letter
这是一封过去的自己寄来的信
希望这封信不会出现在垃圾箱而被未来的自己清理，再此，祝你20岁生日快乐~我想你应该知道你有写日记的习惯，过去的过去的自己也给未来的你发了多少封信呢，可能也被当成垃圾邮件给删掉了吧，虽然有点可惜，不过我想这份心意我们还是可以送到的。一年过去了，离我们的梦想又近了吗？我想至少是不会迷茫了吧，可以的话，真
只是一名游魂
Jul 27, 2017 · Traveled 1 year
Photo letter
You will be so lucky
这封信来自十七岁的你（但愿你还记得你写过这封信给自己）生日快乐……经常收到别人的祝福，但是收到过去自己的祝福还是挺新奇的事情吧，所以特地选在生日这一天，求你一定要按时看到啊！现在我的状态很不好，是处在叛逆期吗？我觉得父母对我的管教令我越来越难以忍受——甚至于和他们交谈都是一件特别费力的事情。我觉得不
猫街与空
Jul 27, 2017 · Will travel 10 years 2 months
圈圈
亲爱的圈圈大宝贝，这里很久很久以前的叉叉给你写的 才不告诉你是啥时候写得呢！ 当你收到这份邮件不出意外应该是2018年的1月7号，是你21岁生日！！激不激动! 惊不惊喜啊！！哈哈哈！宝宝生日快乐！！么么哒！虽然我不知道你会不会看邮件....但能够有一天你会看到的。我不知道未来的我们是什么样子，但一定
叉叉叉叉叉叉叉叉开飞机的叉叉
Jul 28, 2017 · Traveled 5 months 10 days
致 24岁的茜茜
24岁的茜茜，生日快乐。现在14岁的茜茜向你发去2017年的贺电么么哒！24岁的你还好吗？有男朋友了没呀哈哈哈，还开心吗，生活是否称心如意呢？也许那时的你会已经忘记自己曾经写过这封信吧~~14岁的茜茜很无聊，很向往未来，向往着长大，大人的世界好玩吗？你有没有照顾好自己，不要老是发脾气，一定要保持童真
白茜茜
Jul 29, 2017 · Will travel 9 years 11 months
写给未来的自己
今年的你，是不是有是一个人过生日？那些小学时你放在心上的朋友 还有几个记得你的生日？但是，请你爱自己。如果有记得你生日的人请放他在心上，如果没有，请自己爱自己。 生日快乐，雪悠蓝，生日快乐。yft。
n2259
Aug 3, 2017 · Traveled 9 months 13 days
十年後の自分へ
まずは、お誕生日おめでとう！もう3１歳になったねﾟﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟまだ生きているかな～ならよかった（笑）好きな女の子と、xxxxxxxかな(/ω＼*)日本語、上達したかな？神谷さんのこと、まだ好きでいるかな？ＤＧＳも、まだ存在でいるかな？あの二人が大好きの自分は、どんな変化があった？疑問多すぎ！ｘ
n2319
Aug 5, 2017 · Will travel 9 years 10 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
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