The Benefits of Writing Letters to Your Younger Self

As a Reiki master and ordained minister, I have helped clients all over the world improve their present circumstances by releasing and lightening the burdens of the past. We all have a past. Our past influences our present and our future. Our childhood has shaped us; it’s made us who we are today. While some of us have more pleasant memories than others, we all hold on to childhood thoughts and emotions, consciously or not.

How Our Inner Child Affects Us Now

Our past thoughts and emotions influence our present thoughts and emotions. Our inner child influences our current self, and influences how we interact with the people around us. Our inner child has an impact on the way we process our thoughts and feelings. We may instantly react, or overreact, to something because our inner child is still affecting our responses.

Why is that? The imprint of past situations and emotions that our inner child experienced can become stuck in our energetic body. If we as children were not not soothed or given the love and support we needed when a difficult situation arose, our inner children can remain unhealed.

Our inner child has gone through a lot. They were the first part of us that felt happy, sad, angry, and scared. No matter how old we become, our younger self continues to reside within us. They take up space deep inside our heart chakra, which is our energetic center for unconditional love. In order for us to feel safe and secure as adults, our inner child needs to feel supported and cared for. We often don’t give our inner child the acknowledgement, love, and admiration that it needs to flourish and be happy.

I have seen this time and time again in my spiritual practice. While sending Reiki to my clients, there have been many instances of past situations (related to their inner child) coming up for healing and release. Unbeknownst to my clients, their inner child waited for that exact moment, where they were held in sacred space, to get closure and comfort. During my Reiki sessions, I am able to guide my clients to engage with their inner child while simultaneously sending Reiki for an extra boost of loving, healing energy.

Why Should I Write Letters to My Younger Self?

You can take steps yourself to connect with your inner child and offer them healing and love. In doing so, you can release the impact that these past energetic imprints have on your current life. When your inner child remains injured, they can inadvertently hold you back from moving forward, living a full life, and feeling empowered. If you could go back in time and give your younger self the love and support you needed in the most difficult times of your life, wouldn’t you want to do so?

By writing a healing letter to your younger self, you can do just that. You can heal from your past experiences. You can show your younger self how they should have been loved. In doing so, you teach your current self how you should be loved. Then, you can move forward, knowing that you are more than worthy of giving and receiving love.

By crafting a letter to your younger self, you will be able to cultivate a stronger connection with your inner child. You will give yourself an opportunity to meet that little version of yourself and shower them with kind words, affirmations, and encouragement. You will essentially open your heart and heal that young child within you so that they no longer hurt (and so that you no longer hurt!).

Your inner child is waiting to hear from you. They crave your validation, acceptance, and love. You will answer their calling by writing a letter from your soul.

How to Write Letters to Your Younger Self

Writing a letter to your younger self is a simple but powerful exercise. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen or pencil (along with some honesty and vulnerability!).

1. Start by writing your name, including your first, middle, and last name, at the top of the letter. If you are currently married, make sure to include your maiden name as well.

2. Begin by writing down any fun childhood memories that stand out. You can include up to three different happy memories. Write a sentence or two about what those experiences taught you.

3. Then write down any challenging childhood experiences or memories that stand out. You can include up to three different scenarios. For each scenario, write at least one sentence to express support for yourself in that moment. It could be something as simple as, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I love you.” Or it could be more detailed, such as, “In that moment, I know you felt [emotion]. I want you to know that [message to self]. By going through [scenario], you learned [lesson]. I’m proud of you. I love you.”

4. Once you finish your letter to your younger self, sign your name: “Sincerely, [name].”

5. Fold up the letter, hold it up to your heart, and feel the warmth from your hands radiate towards the inner child within you.

6. You can place this letter in a special place, like in a jewelry box or in a photo album. If you feel like you no longer need it, you can sacredly dispose of it by burying it in the soil, burning it in the fireplace, or tearing it up into tiny pieces and placing the remnants in the garbage or recycling bin.

Writing this transformative letter to your younger self will allow you to connect with your inner child, express your love and support, and promote self-love and healing. The baggage and pain of the past will be brought to the light. Once exposed, a part of your younger self will heal. With that healing, your current self will feel lighter as well. Happy healing!

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