Judgment or insults You can mention any particular life struggles, but avoid berating your future self. ✗ “You’re probably just as much of a loser as I am now. I already can’t stand you.” ✓ “I struggle to make quality friends but I have faith you’ll be better at it by now.” Ultimatums You can set realistic goals, but don’t make outlandish threats. ✗ “If you aren’t married by now, you should probably move to a different country to start over.” ✓ “If you aren’t married by now, that’s cool. Be patient and trust that the right person will come along.” Self-loathing apologies Don’t apologize for who you are! You can be honest about your struggles but avoid shaming yourself now (or your future self) for making certain choices. ✗ “I’m sorry I suck at life and I hope you feel guilty about wasting so much time loafing around.” ✓ “Sorry I didn’t take care of my body and health as much as I should have, but I bet you’re doing better (and maybe you’re in great shape!).” Hopelessness Hope is one of the core themes of this letter, so avoid non-constructive pessimism. ✗ “It’s too late for me now, so don’t even bother finding a partner.” ✓ “I feel a little defeated when it comes to my love life, but maybe I need to open up to others more and have a little patience.” Negative predictions You can’t predict the future, so don’t even try (unless your future self might find it funny). ✗ “You probably won’t be successful, but hey, such is life.” ✓ “You might not be a millionaire but that’s okay--I bet you’ve paid off a chunk of those student loans by now.”