When It Hurts, Write to the You Who Made It Through
Some kinds of pain are hard to hand to anyone. Telling friends feels like being a burden; telling family means making them worry; posting it online is too exposed. So it stays lodged in your chest, replaying at 2 a.m., getting heavier each time. Writing it down is one of the most consistently proven ways to loosen that knot — and writing it to your future self adds something more: a quiet assumption, built right into the envelope, that a day will come when you're out the other side, calm enough to read this. People have written here on the night of a breakup, in the week they were laid off, from a hospital bed, and after losing someone they couldn't imagine losing. Most of these letters were sealed in tears. But opened a year later, nearly all of them say the same thing back: you made it through. Below are letters their writers chose to make public — because they wanted whoever is hurting right now to know this road has been walked before, all the way to the other end.
Ideas to get you started
- Don't compose — pour. The hurt, the anger, the fear, exactly as they are. This letter has no other reader; it doesn't need to be presentable.
- Write down what actually happened. The pain will fade, but what you went through deserves to be remembered truthfully.
- Give future-you one small, gentle assignment: eat at that hotpot place for me. Get a full night's sleep for me.
- If someone is being kind to you right now, put them in the letter. When you're through this, remember to thank them.
Real letters from the vault
615 public letters最终还是骗了自己
看到这封信的时候，已经过去了三个月，，不知道你会怎么度过，该走的都走了不管结局会变成怎么样，希望你不要像从前那样，为了一件小事情而郁闷很久。失眠的人太多，但也不要去当其中一个，你的生日，已经过了，不要再把自己当成一个孩子一样，惯着自己，矫情的活下去，看着他们都在玩游戏，自己却不知道该干什么。看着曾经
思绪开始停留2412
Jan 8, 2017 · Traveled 3 months
遗忘
今天是1月8日。周天。你12月28日的时候，做了一个梦。梦见他谈恋爱了。然后醒来枕头都湿了。哈哈哈然后，你决定你要去成都。1月6日到了成都以后的你，没有勇气去联系他。你想想，要不还是看一下他的微博或者别的什么。你第一次重新翻开了他的微博，却发现在12月28日的那天，他也发了一条微博。是给一个女人画的
零露
Jan 8, 2017 · Traveled 8 months 23 days
写给辰辰辰的一封信
现在是20171282205，我总是担心自己哪天遭遇不测，总是在想我死了父母怎么办?甚至想给自己买一份意外保险，常常一个人在想这些问题，使自己充满了不安。搬去新“家”，吾有感觉：完了，这次我恐怕要死在这了?未曾想到?我姥娘却得了肺癌，我每次搬家俺必得病，想起那年夏天我生病住院姥娘陪在我身边，。。现在
n1856
Jan 8, 2017 · Traveled 1 day
写给你，我的内心独白
我们认识五年，其实我发现自己喜欢你的时候是你有女朋友然后她叫你把我删了，那时，我才明白你对我很重要。那段时间我的心情一直比较低落，整夜整夜的失眠，上课注意力也不集中，成绩下滑很快，简直是跌到了谷底，我拿着成绩单哭了很久，那时我真的想放弃了。后来我们又有了联系，我挺高兴的，又后来我生病住院了，我对未来
用户6000358054
Jan 16, 2017 · Traveled 7 months 18 days
2017年1月18日20:12:41
人总是要为自己的行为负责的。就像她在选择纵情欢愉的时候也该承担它所带来的后果。而我在选择放弃的时候就得做好承担一切的准备。从此她的一切都与我无关。我所需要做的就是尽力地去放下这一切，就像她所做的一样。她在分开的一开始承担了离别的伤感。而现在轮到我了。一切是这么地公平。她已经放下一切。我还有什么理由再
n1875
Jan 18, 2017 · Traveled 6 months 14 days
2017年1月19日13:10:32
还是处于深深的焦虑中，不停地刷着微博微信空间。我也不知道我到底希望看到什么。我只是迫切地想知道她现在怎么样。我无法午睡，因为我的焦虑和恐慌让我无法入睡。下午锻炼一下身体。如果吴教练来得早的话兴许我还可以出去散散心。不知道什么时候我才能恢正常。我觉得我现在简直就像一个智障。一个迷茫的智障。一方面其他人
EEEEEEE865
Jan 19, 2017 · Traveled 6 months 13 days
介子
我记性不好，害怕忘记全世界对不起，还不如说对不起自己。一个傻呼呼地自己，一路成长，到了今日，还是会犯很多错误，不断的让自己心灵身体受到大大小小的刺激。 害怕抛于脑后，接受宽恕自己。 人若管不住自己，得不到真正的自由。 希望自己能够明白。作为朋友，我也体恤自己受过的委屈和伤害，作为好朋友，我更明白一切
n1882
Jan 23, 2017 · Traveled 1 month
分手一个月——by琉璃薇薇
HELLO,写这封信的时候，是我生命中最难过的时候，这是分手后的第16天，经历过想看见你，断了联系，疯狂找寻你的痕迹，到如今的我更想知道你怎么样？好不好？记得我们最后说的一个话题是，我有遗憾，很多遗憾， 你说你会帮我完成的。而是到后来 我这句话也没说出口后来你说周三见面。我就一直在等，等到夜里12点
琉璃
Feb 1, 2017 · Traveled 15 days
分手两个月的你——琉璃薇薇
我今天读了一本书，它告诉我：“别哭了，你还要赶路的”说的很有道理，但是有点伤心，伤心的是，相遇太早。我能做到的最好，却不是你想要的刚好世界那么大，让我遇见你，时间那么长，从未再见你。我有一杯酒，敬给这一场大梦。相见时的不远万里，离别时的各奔东西。然而梦里有人温柔而坚定的说，她说，让我留在你身边。裂缝
琉璃
Feb 2, 2017 · Traveled 1 month 14 days
王心怡
喜欢你两年在一起一年，这大概就是我青春最有意义的一段感情了吧。如今分手半年，从一开始的赌气到现在的后悔，我做错了太多事，错过了最美的年纪遇见的最好的你。现在你过得很好，不必在乎我的感受，想笑就笑想做什么就做什么，看到现在的你，也许不打扰你才是最好的。我们的故事结束了，但是我爱你❤️
n1898
Feb 7, 2017 · Traveled 2 years
Photo letter
写给未来的我
喂，你现在怎么样了，我写这封信的时候可是很压抑呢，我正愁着明天，后天，大后天，未来该怎么度过，家里的电脑的D盘还有跟娴姐的合照吗？我可给你存了不少，还有那时候分开的时候她给你写的信。她现在过得怎么样了？联系吗？高考过后你们如你所愿请她大吃一餐了没有。现在给你写东西的我。可是做梦都在想着她毕业啊。学校
Zc的Rar
Feb 15, 2017 · Traveled 3 years
追忆
有时候忘记谁是很难的，我希望这时候的你能忘记他，获得可以爱上谁的能力2017年的我告诉你，这时候我的我还忘不了李雨涵啊，原来的得不到这么痛苦病好了吗，脸上的情况好转了吗
121212on
Feb 19, 2017 · Traveled 11 months 26 days
Frequently Asked Questions
Will anyone else be able to read this?
No. Letters are private by default — only you, on delivery day, can open it. Going public is entirely your choice; every letter on this page was shared deliberately by its writer.
Does writing it down actually help?
Expressive writing has a substantial body of psychology research behind it. Many users describe the moment they hit "seal" as physically handing over part of the weight.
What if, a year from now, I don't want to be reminded?
All that arrives is a notification — whether you open the letter, and when, is up to you. For what it's worth, most people report reading theirs with a smile.
What if things feel really serious right now?
A letter can keep you company, but it's no substitute for professional help. If what you're feeling is affecting your daily life, please reach out to a counselor or a mental health helpline where you live.
When It Hurts, Write to the You Who Made It Through
Write yours