Letter to MySelf

The “letter to myself” activity involves writing a letter from your current self to your future self, reflecting on personal growth, goals, and aspirations.

The theme of the “letter to myself” activity is thinking about your own growth and future goals by writing a letter to your future self.

Participants for the “letter to myself” activity can be anyone interested in self-reflection and personal growth. The age range can vary widely, typically from adolescents to adults.

Expected learning outcomes include improved self-awareness, clearer goal-setting skills, and a deeper understanding of personal values and ambitions. Participants may also gain insights into their strengths and areas for growth, fostering a proactive mindset towards achieving their aspirations.

1. Encourage Self-Reflection: Participants reflect on their personal journey, experiences, and achievements.
2. Set Goals: Participants envision their future aspirations and articulate concrete goals.
3. Facilitate Personal Growth: Through writing, participants explore areas for improvement and development. Facilitating personal growth involves encouraging participants to reflect deeply on their educational and professional aspirations. Participants are prompted to think about their educational objectives, such as completing specific courses, obtaining certifications, or advancing their knowledge in key areas. They are also encouraged to identify training objectives, focusing on skills they wish to develop through workshops, seminars, or online learning opportunities. Additionally, the activity offers participants to recognize their existing skills and achievements, fostering a sense of accomplishment and self-awareness. By implementing this activity, participants can then formulate clear professional goals, aligning their aspirations with concrete actions and timelines. This structured approach not only enhances personal growth but also empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards their career ambitions. Thus, the “Letter to Myself” activity serves as a catalyst for self-reflection, goal-setting, and continuous professional development.

Writing Materials:

• Paper or notebooks
• Pens, pencils, markers, or any preferred writing utensils

Optional Materials (depending on facilitation style):

• Envelopes (if participants want to seal their letters)
• Stamps (if participants will mail their letters to themselves)
• Art supplies (for those who want to illustrate their letters)
• Timer or clock (to time the writing session if desired)

Facilitation Materials:

• Instructions or prompts for writing the letter
• Examples or templates (optional, to guide participants)
• Discussion points or questions for group sharing afterward (if done in a group setting)
• Evaluation forms or reflection sheets (to capture feedback post-activity)

1. Prepare Writing Materials:
   • Ensure an ample supply of paper or notebooks and writing utensils for all participants.
   • Have additional materials like envelopes, stamps, or art supplies ready if participants choose to use them.
2. Create Instructions or Prompts:
   • Develop clear instructions or prompts that guide participants in writing their letters. These should encourage reflection on personal growth, goals, and aspirations.
3. Set Up the Environment:
   • Arrange the space to be conducive to reflective writing. Ensure comfortable seating and a quiet atmosphere if possible.
   • Display any optional materials or examples that participants might find helpful.
4. Plan Timing:
   • Decide on the duration of the writing session. Typically, allow enough time for participants to write thoughtfully but also consider any time constraints.
5. Prepare for Follow-Up or Sharing (if applicable):
   • If participants will share their letters or discuss them afterward, plan how this will be facilitated. Prepare discussion prompts or questions to guide the sharing session.
6. Anticipate Emotional Responses:
   • Recognize that this activity may evoke strong emotions in some participants. Be prepared to support and encourage participants as needed.

By preparing these elements in advance, we can ensure a smooth and meaningful experience for participants during the “letter to myself” activity.

1. Introduction and Explanation

• Gather participants and briefly explain the purpose of the activity: to write a letter from their current self to their future self.
• Emphasize that the letter should reflect on personal growth, goals, and aspirations.

2. Provide Writing Materials

• Distribute paper or notebooks and writing utensils to all participants.
• Optionally, provide envelopes, stamps, or art supplies for those who wish to use them.

3. Set Clear Instructions

• Explain the structure of the letter: participants should address themselves in the future and reflect on where they are now, what they hope to achieve, and any advice or encouragement they want to give themselves.
• Offer prompts or questions to guide their writing, such as:
  • “What are your proudest achievements so far?”
  • “What goals do you want to accomplish in the future?”
  • “What challenges do you anticipate, and how will you overcome them?”
  • “How have your educational experiences shaped your personal growth?”
  • “What skills or knowledge have you gained through your education that you value the most?”
  • “What specific educational goals do you aim to accomplish in the near future?”
  • “What challenges do you foresee in achieving your educational goals?”

4. Allocate Time

• Set a specific time limit for writing the letters (e.g., 20-30 minutes).
• Encourage participants to write continuously during this period.

5. Writing Session

• Allow participants to write in a quiet and comfortable environment.
• Circulate among participants to provide assistance or answer questions if needed.

6. Reflection (Optional)

• After writing, invite participants to reflect briefly on their experience:
  • “How did it feel to write to your future self?””Did anything surprise you during the activity?”
  • “What insights did you gain about your goals and aspirations?”

7. Sharing (Optional)

• If appropriate for the group setting, invite participants to share excerpts from their letters or discuss their reflections with others.
• Facilitate a supportive and respectful environment for sharing.

8. Closure

• Conclude the activity by thanking participants for their participation and reflections.
• Encourage participants to keep their letters in a safe place and consider revisiting them in the future.

9. Follow-Up (Optional) Optionally, offer participants the opportunity to seal their letters in envelopes, address them to their future selves, and provide stamps if they wish to mail them later.

10. Debrief and Feedback

• Gather feedback from participants about their experience with the activity.

Ask about any insights gained or suggestions for improvement.

1.Create a Safe and Supportive Environment:

• Emphasize confidentiality and respect among participants. Encourage them to write openly and honestly without fear of judgment.

2.Encourage Reflective Writing:

• Remind participants to reflect deeply on their personal growth, goals, and aspirations. Encourage them to write from the heart and express their genuine thoughts and feelings.

3.Respect Individual Preferences:

• Some participants may prefer to write privately, while others may benefit from sharing their thoughts with the group. Respect these preferences and provide options for both individual reflection and group sharing.

4.Support Emotional Responses: Recognize that writing about personal experiences and aspirations can evoke strong emotions. Be prepared to offer support or guidance if participants become emotional during or after the activity.

The ideal group size for the “letter to myself” activity can vary based on the facilitator’s goals and the dynamics of the participants. However, note that smaller groups may encourage quieter participants to engage more comfortably.

The complexity level is 2 which can be explained as;

You need more time and material to prepare the activity and you also need more experience in delivering it; e.g. you might need various sport materials, you cannot play it anywhere and the activity is more complex to explain to participants.