[ACTIVITY] Note No. #9 // The Power of a Letter to You

A yearly ritual to help you reflect, reset, and grow.

Good morning, and happy Saturday!

Today’s my birthday! I share that not to garner birthday wishes (although more the merrier 😉). I share because with today’s post falling on my birthday it felt fitting to share one of my favorite yearly rituals with you.

During COVID, like many of us, I felt completely lost. 2019 had been one of the best years of my life—I spent it doing what I loved: traveling the world, exploring new places, and immersing myself in different cultures with an amazing group of people. And I was gearing up for more of the same in 2020… but then, well, you know the story. COVID hit, and just like that, life came to a screeching halt.

2020 was rough, but by 2021, I made a conscious decision: it was time to rebuild. I spent that year reacquainting myself with who I was and where I wanted to go next. I took a solo road trip across the U.S. And just shy of my 26th birthday, I started something that changed the game: I wrote a letter to my future self—a letter to the 27-year-old Becca, to be opened on my next birthday.

Little did I know then that this would turn into a yearly ritual—one I now look forward to each year, excited to open the letter from my past self and write a new one to future me.

Save this post! I’m about to walk you through how you can start your own yearly letter ritual.

Step 1: Pick an Important Date
For me, it’s my birthday, but for you, it could be any day that feels significant—New Year’s, an anniversary, whatever resonates. Lock it in your calendar. Better yet, set a yearly reminder! (Tip: There are services out there that will mail your letter back to you on any date you choose—how cool is that?)

Step 2: Reflect on the Past Year
What went well? What didn’t? Take stock of where you are now and what you’ve learned along the way.

Step 3: Imagine the Year Ahead
Where do you want to be a year from now? What goals will you crush? What kind of person do you want to grow into?

Step 4: Write the Letter
Set aside some time to write. You can draft your letter in advance or write it on the day—whatever works for you. I like to handwrite mine on a card or postcard from my travels. Then, seal it in an envelope addressed to the future you.

Step 5: Live Your Year
Use the letter as a guide to kick off your next year. When the next year rolls around, open it up and see how far you’ve come. Year after year, this ritual becomes a powerful way to track your growth. Going into my 30th birthday, I’ll have four years of letters. How amazing is that—to see your journey unfold in real time?

I challenge you to create your own letter ritual. Pick a date. Mark your calendar. And start drafting your letter to you.

Bonus:
Make it fun! These letters are for your eyes only (unless you feel like sharing). I don’t take them too seriously—sometimes, I even address myself as “kid” to keep that childlike wonder alive. Find your own style and run with it.

Have a great week!
Becca

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A Question for you:

How will you kickstart your own letter-writing ritual?
What date and vision will shape your year ahead?

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Where I Find Inspiration:

Collection of random stuff that inspired me this month:

• [Book] Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis – Next week I’ll share my favorite takeaway from this book, but excellent read for anyone looking to grow their creative muscles.

• [Conference] The Marketing AI Conference (MAICON) – this event was incredible and I’m working on ways to share some of my biggest take-aways from the event with you.

• [Series] Tales by Light on Netflix – the series follows photographers on journeys around the world as they push the limits of their craft to capture the perfect image.

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