Write a letter to your future self and get it back on the day
Writing to the person you will be in a year, or ten, is a simple way to notice how you change. This prompt has your todo.is agent ask you good questions, shape your answers into a letter to your future self, and schedule it to arrive in your inbox on the date you choose.
The prompt
- Help me write a letter to my future self, to open on [DELIVERY DATE]. Right now I am [AGE AND LIFE STAGE]. Here is what is on my mind: [WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE]. My hopes for the future: [GOALS AND HOPES]. My fears or worries: [WORRIES]. First ask me 5 short reflection questions, then write the letter in my voice, about 400 words, with sections for "Where I am now", "What I hope you did", "What I hope you kept" and "Questions for you". Save it as a PDF, and schedule a to-do to email it to me on [DELIVERY DATE] at [YOUR EMAIL].
What to change
- [DELIVERY DATE]: When you want to read it, e.g. "8 October 2027" or "my 30th birthday, 2 May 2031".
- [AGE AND LIFE STAGE]: E.g. "26, two years into my first job" or "just retired".
- [WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE]: E.g. "just moved to Manchester, learning to cook, missing my friends".
- [GOALS AND HOPES]: E.g. "run a half marathon, start a pottery side business, call my grandmother more".
- [WORRIES]: E.g. "that I will stay in a job I do not like because it is safe".
- [DELIVERY DATE]: The same date you put above.
- [YOUR EMAIL]: The address you will still check in a few years. A personal one is safer than work.
Example result
- Reflection questions your agent asks first
- • What did a normal Tuesday look like this month?
- • What are you proud of that nobody else noticed?
- • What is one thing you keep putting off?
- • Who are you closest to right now?
- • What do you hope you will have stopped worrying about?
- Letter to future me (open on 8 October 2027)
- Dear future me,
- Where I am now
- It is October 2026. I am 26, I have lived in Manchester for three months and I still get lost on the way to the big Tesco. I work in marketing at a company that is fine. I cook three nights a week now, mostly pasta, and I am getting better at onions. I miss my friends from home more than I tell them.
- What I hope you did
- I hope you ran that half marathon, even slowly. I hope you finally signed up for the pottery class on Thursday nights and found out if you are any good. I hope you called Gran every Sunday, because I keep saying I will.
- What I hope you kept
- I hope you kept the habit of walking to work and noticing the canal in the morning. I hope you kept being the friend who remembers birthdays. I hope you still laugh at yourself when things go wrong.
- What I am afraid of
- I am scared I will stay in a job I do not love because it feels safe. If you are still there, please ask yourself honestly whether it is still a choice.
- Questions for you
- • Are you happier than I am, or just busier?
- • Did you make one close friend here?
- • What do you know now that you wish I knew?
- Whatever happened, be kind about it. I was doing my best, and I bet you are too.
- Love,
- Me, at 26
- What happens next
- • The letter is saved as a PDF in your todo.is workspace
- • A scheduled to-do emails it to you on 8 October 2027
- • You can ask your agent to show it earlier, edit it or change the date
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the delivery date, your email and what is on your mind.
- Paste it into todo.is or send it to your agent on Telegram, then answer its 5 questions.
- Your agent writes the letter, saves a PDF and schedules the email for your chosen date.
- Make it a yearly ritual: ask your agent to remind you every New Year to write the next one.
Tips for a better result
- Write about ordinary details, like your commute or what you ate. They are what you will enjoy reading most later.
- Be honest about worries. Reading them later shows you how many worked out.
- Ask your future self questions. It turns the letter into a check-in, not just a diary entry.
- Pick a meaningful date, like a birthday or New Year's Day, so it arrives at a moment of reflection.
- Use a personal email address you will keep. Work addresses often stop working.
letter to future self: FAQ
- What should I write in a letter to my future self? Describe your life now, what you hope will happen, what you want to keep, what worries you, and a few questions for your future self to answer.
- How far in the future should I send it? One year is a good first try because you will notice real changes. Five or ten years works well for big milestones like graduation or a 30th birthday.
- How does todo.is send it on the date? Your agent creates a scheduled to-do that emails you the letter on that date. Each scheduled run uses a few AI credits.
- Can teachers use this with a class? Yes. Ask your agent for a worksheet of reflection questions and a letter template that students can fill in.
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