At the turn of the year: "Letter to my future self"
Over the years, I have made it a ritual to offer my patients (alcohol drug and drug addicts) to write a letter to their future self (of course only voluntarily).
Design and content can be chosen freely, the letter is read by anyone except the author himself (not mine!). It is possible, for example, to begin good with "Dear Future I" or simply with "Dear [name]".
In terms of content one can review the year that is nearing its end and write down his thoughts, wishes, dreams, hopes, but also fears, uncertainties and fears for the coming year. The exercise encourages you to deal with your own past and future, to find (new) motivators and to reflect on events.
The letter is put in an envelope, which is directly closed and addressed to the author himself. He is not yet franked, since the postage changes sometimes. The patients can give me (alternatively another person of their confidence) the letter. I'll keep the letters and send them off sometime in the course of the coming year (until then, the patients are back home, not in our clinic anymore). Thus, at a time when he probably no longer thinks of the letter, the author is reminded of its content.
I always point out to the participants in advance that the receipt and reading of the letter can be very nice when something positive has turned out, but also very painful if hopes, dreams and wishes have not been met at the time of service should.
Whatever the outcome, writing alone often has a great impact, and it's nice to see how lovingly the participants treat themselves (time and effort are spent, painted, decorated with stickers, and designed differently). it is written and rejected, fiddled and reformulated ...). Especially with such a group of people who tend to find it difficult to deal with themselves and do something good, that's just great to watch.
Of course you do not necessarily have to work with patients to write these letters. I got to know this "exercise" at a seminar. We participants received the offer and the seminar leader sent us the letters. I was happy as a snow queen when I found the letter in my box at some point. Communities and families would, for example, also offer for it.
Maybe one or the other feels like trying it out. Wish you all a happy new year!
