Why I Write Emails to Myself
The benefits of building a digital time capsule.
In my email inbox I have a special folder reserved for personal messages and written mementos that are authored by myself and addressed to myself. Upon opening this folder you would find a plethora of half processed emotions, unpublished ideas, the breaking down and the building up — a kind of creative wasteland.
As of today I have written 176 emails each with a unique title that marks a particular mood or experience. Title examples include “restless,” “boys and sangria,” “why I can’t sleep tonight,” and “need ice-cream.”
My first email dates back to 2018. I am lamenting to my computer screen about my relationship fears and giving myself a pep talk before work as I started a new job as a barista and was worried I’d forget how to make someone’s latte.
Fast forward to the summer of 2022 I am reflecting about having started my nursing career and worrying about screwing up a high alert medication protocol. Real lives are in my hands.
Writing emails to yourself can provide much needed perspective.
I like to think of this special inbox folder as my life’s story broken down into a beautiful conglomeration of themes, motifs, and occurrences, all of which are independent, yet interconnected. Though it takes time to build a history in order to gain that perspective shift as I did with the barista to nurse example, it is quite rewarding. Emailing yourself allows you to glean at how far you’ve come as a human.
An email a day takes the pain away.
I found that writing an email to myself was very beneficial for my mental health. When my thoughts are moving faster then what pen and paper will allow, typing can be very cathartic. The pattern that I consistently find throughout these emails is that after jotting down my worries I always seek out a solution. Hitting send is my commitment to changing my mindset for the better.
The antidote for writer’s block.
My biggest barrier to writing is the feeling that I have nothing substantial to say. I have only one good article left inside me and I’ve already used it. However, this is not the case and I believe our creative rolodex is infinite and we need to find the right method to kindly coax ourselves to write. Writing an email to self can be a safe and effective way to convey our thoughts without feeling pressured or judged.
Reminds you of your own resilience.
176 emails. 176 events in my life where I decided to take matters into my own hands, sit with negative feelings, and mold and create something from them. Even if it’s 50 emails or 5 we choose to live another day. We embrace everything and anything from friendship breakups, 3am ice cream cravings, our lonely hours, and the classic — “how the hell am I going to write this 7 page Ethics paper in a night?”
Whether it’s something you’re struggling with or something that inspired you, I give you permission to write just about anything in these emails. I guarantee your future self will thank you.
Thanks so much for reading!!
❤ Sofia
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