I was able to find a lot of examples of personal letters and letters to my younger self which has helped me shape my letter. From the ones I have found, there are several ways you can write such a letter. One article suggested that you start off by simply identifying a goal (Matthews, 2019). It also suggests that you can use the letter as a diary which can make the writing easier and more natural. Matthews states in the article, “who can you get personal with, if not yourself?” I liked this quote and the portions where she discusses identifying your self-deception. She says it’s crucial to be brutally honest- “the idea is to confront your emotions in a raw and honest way” (Matthews, 2019).

 

The format I would like to use is based off of an online letter I found by the writer Samantha Decosmo. In her letter to her younger self, Decosmo uses subheadings to create several small letters within one large one. I liked her format the best because I thought it was a good way to emphasize the main points/lessons of the article.

 

 

References

Matthews, K. (2019, August 30). My breakthrough moment: writing a letter to my younger self. Goalcast. https://www.goalcast.com/2019/08/30/write-letter-to-your-younger-self/.

Decosmo, S. (2020, July 1). A letter to my younger self. A Purpose in Pain. https://apurposeinpain.com/a-letter-to-my-younger-self/.

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