Today, we’re wrapping up our letter-writing extravaganza, or at least for the foreseeable future. I hope that I’ve given you a helpful concept to play around with, and that you write your own letters. Letters that I’ve suggested, but also letters of your own, that are undeniably valuable and that I would have never had the details to suggest to you. If you’re not familiar with this concept and this is your first time here, you can go back and read the initial concept of this series here. Or you can go to any one of these posts for a suggestion of a letter to write to help you work through your thoughts and emotions, as well as leave this world a brighter place. (1 2 3 4 5 6 7)
Our last letter is one that I put a lot of thought into. There are quite a few letters that I had ideas for but didn’t quite make the list, because I wanted every one that I included to be a powerful practice. And that’s why we’re left with what we’re doing today. It takes the letter writing skills you’ve amassed so far and we’re adding one element on top. Because now I’m asking you to write a letter, just to yourself. (No fancy tricks like past or future you, just you, as you stand today.) But you’re going to write from the point of view of someone who is looking at you. Not anyone specific, just a person who happens to know everything about you, but isn’t you. So we’re writing a letter to ourselves in third person.
To prepare, I’m going to ask you to put yourself in a different mental state. A place where you don’t have to “be you”, instead you can just simply be. Meander about there for as long as you like, I’m in no rush. When you’re ready, come back and look at “this person” that you know everything about. What are you thinking? Now, take your pen to paper, and start to write.
What to write
If you’re in the mindset but you’re at a loss for what to write, here are some ideas. (If you’re not in the third person mental space, you really need to get in that first or this won’t work.)
-are you impressed by this person? Do you think they’ve done a good job with their life struggles so far?
-where do you think they’re headed in the future?
-what could they be doing better to get to their goals? what are they doing that’s holding them back?
Self-esteem and objectivity
Another great aspect of this exercise is that it helps you learn what you would truly think of yourself, if it weren’t for self esteem. A lot of us like or dislike ourselves, simply because we are ourselves. When you’re able to look objectively at who you are outside of your sense of warped self-esteem, you’ll be able to feel pride in yourself that you couldn’t feel before, and sometimes, new inspiration to improve your life, simply by taking your “ego” out of the equation.
I hope you try writing this final letter in the series. I hope that you are able to see yourself clearly, so that you can not only learn who you are, but better plan for who you’re trying to become. And also, I hope that you continue writing letters. To yourself, and to the world. Because we could sure use your perspective.
