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写给一年后的自己
一年后的自己，变的成熟稳重了，变的漂亮了，身边也有他了。 一年前的自己，也正是此时此刻的我，刚刚失恋6天了，之前习惯给他打电话的我，而现在一点也不习惯，心里空荡荡的，很不是滋味。然而还是没出息的想他。想他。。。我是一个对感情很专一的人，遇见自己喜欢的，我会努力的去接近，在接近一点。他们都说没在一起说
JXLW的小窝
Jun 14, 2013 · Traveled 1 year
20130617
这真是一个奇怪的梗。这是今天晚上出现频率最高的话。 现在处在这个状态：等学长最后给的结果，并且不抱很多希望；还有半年就要考研了，却连书都没买下；心里静不下来，一直都很浮躁；如果说支教的时候想通了一些什么，那么如今已经算想得太多了；想得到的东西很多，却迟迟不行动，惰性之类，实在没什么好解释的。 下午不
想换SurnameLee
Jun 17, 2013 · Traveled 1 year
我
之前的你为了一个女孩子伤心难过，看不到未来的方向，身心疲惫有放不了手。希望这个时候的我可以幸福。忘掉该忘的。其实什么都不算什么。恋爱就两个结果：分手，结婚。做人最重要就是要开心。什么都想开点，没什么不行的。生活总是有好有坏。找个好工作，记得要多赚点钱，有钱总是好的。没有男朋友就去交个男朋友啊，记得要
菌酱_要阳光向前看
Jul 10, 2013 · Traveled 1 year
Photo letter
我还爱你
我是无意中看到“postome”这个网站的，本来什么都不想啰嗦的自己忽然冲动的想去见你。理一下思绪，第一句想说的话一定是“无论如何，我一直爱你”。首先，介绍下自己现在的情况。前阵子和小孩儿去游了黄山，累得半死。还记得她不？还像现在一样联系紧密吗？如果是的话，记得后天和她说生日快乐，送个礼物什么的。某
不吃肉的小白菜
Jul 13, 2013 · Traveled 4 years 11 months
Photo letter
梦想和现实
此时的你，如果没有在兵营里，就是在做自己不喜欢的事情。记得今年的二月份，一个叫做冯颖的来自新疆在陕西西安上大二的比你出生日期小25天的女孩，她告诉过你，她的梦想就是在军营里生活，因为你曾说过你喜欢那里面的生活节奏，喜欢那里的一切，可是你没有实现你的梦想，所以你选择了当护士，因为这样可以为那些受了伤的
思绪开始停留2412
Jul 17, 2013 · Traveled 3 months
Photo letter
爱的人
突然想起某个人，真的很伤心，在最需要我的时候却没能去保护她，不能怪她现在恨我什么，我想都是我必须所承受的，因为是我欠她的，希望以后的我能好好的默默的照顾她，希望她能遇见一个真正爱她的，快乐健康的成长。
幻想的松鼠
Aug 5, 2013 · Traveled 4 months 27 days
zl
亲爱的自己！当你收到这封邮件的时候，距离八月四号已经一个月的时间了。你回到了学校，也许已经碰到过她了。三种情况：1、你已经完全放下她。她让你一次次的难受，又一次次的和好。但是不应该知道，你从来就不相信感情是越吵越浓的，你总是那么的能忍让他人，但是他一次次的击破你的底线。所以你不想再被伤害，你做回了那
独行侠Ney
Aug 17, 2013 · Traveled 18 days
Photo letter
写给未来的…
喜欢写信的感觉喜欢倾诉的感觉看着曾经的自己死去活来这一周阿 又体验到了一个人的Feel那感觉真不爽好像被全世界抛弃了其实 早该习惯这种感觉了毕竟已经一年了反正 不知不觉就想通了吧也不在偏执了 是长大了吧想到了却也不一定做到阿下次指不定怎么难受呢天天见面的时间越来越少也不坐在一起了 下课也不一起活动没
淇诺
Sep 6, 2013 · Traveled 2 days
MORDRED默
2013年9月14号出了车祸自己开的车可惜的是我没死那我就要更好的活下去！或许只有经历了生死才会更懂得珍惜了。留下的不该是后怕，应该是新的规划！徘徊生死间，幸运降临，即使灾随之福。抛下琐事视为回忆，写下今日为以后所回忆！伤心总是难免的。
n193
Sep 16, 2013 · Traveled 9 years 11 months
Photo letter
去他妈的学习吧
现在你特么又崩溃了。学霸小姐。 昏倒你妹啊。心脏病你妹啊。老子又没看韩剧。为啥这些去死的YY都要在我身上发生啊。去你妈勒戈壁！老子的学习状态啊.... 哦，我不是故意这么rude的。真的不是。你要体谅我。 英语啊第二。算个屁啊。老子背了这么多单词为什么不是第一啊啊啊。 去你妈勒戈壁。为什么要努力啊。
free
Oct 4, 2013 · Traveled 27 days
未知
时光飞逝，没想到这么快就收到了上次的信在这半年中很多事情完成了，比如买了单反，也考了雅思，但是很多事情都不可能照着自己先前想的那样去完成，单反买了却从没用过，雅思考了却没过，名额还没申请上，很多事就好像是一个玩笑。感情，空白吧，总之现在一切都很迷茫一年后，那时我会干什么，在哪里，都是未知数
不安分的_娜娜娜娜娜
Oct 12, 2013 · Traveled 1 year
Photo letter
原来我也有今天
今天是2013年11月12号，看透了很多很多。电话没人接短信没人回QQ也不回评论也不回 或许我一切的一切我早就应该想到。只是真的需要面对的时候却发现自己根本无法去说服自己。一切都可以过去的。在金钱至上感情卑贱的今天。我想我也开始怕了。我怕我再也找不到我喜欢的那个人了，强颜欢笑的那么久可终究还是看清楚
思绪开始停留2412
Nov 12, 2013 · Traveled 2 months 18 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