THE BENEFITS OF FUTURE SELF JOURNALING

There are so many benefits to future self-journaling consistently. With all the everyday stressors of life, such as work, school, and relationships, it’s no surprise that humans aren’t the greatest when it comes to thinking about the future in a positive light. This is true when it concerns the individual self outside of all that’s occurring externally.

When it comes to predicting future emotions, that part of focusing on the individual self can be difficult. For instance, say you’ve just broken up a reasonably solid relationship. Romantic-wise, one of the very first things that come to mind is the pessimistic prediction that you’ll never find love again or that “the one” doesn’t exist for you.

Of course, don’t feel the need to suppress this natural emotional reaction, but don’t allow it to significantly affect how you think about the future and, more importantly, your future self. In a situation like this, it’s important to remind yourself that the current moment is temporary and should not define your future.

Bad feelings and emotions are completely natural!

“Future self-journaling is especially useful for transitional times (when I generally turn to this practice). It’s for those moments when you’re standing at a crossroads and wish someone could step in and reassure you that you’re making the right choice.”

Any change in life occurs during what is called a transitional phase. Future self-journaling can be a great way to chronicle the before and after of any transitional phase of life, big or small. For instance, one could write a letter to their future self right before a significant change occurs and then reflect on those exact words once the time has passed.

Once the transition has occurred, you can return to the letter you wrote and reflect on how you felt when you wrote it versus how you feel now. Consider whether things have changed for the good or the bad. Doing so can allow you to appreciate the future and, most importantly, all of the positives that may come with it.