A Amy is writing a letter to herself in five years about becoming more independent. Read her letter and learn how to write one to your "future self".
Use the second-person pronoun to address the future self to create emotional distance.
Use the structure to compare the future self with the present self.
Use the structure to describe a habit or repeated behaviour.
Dear Future Me,
I hope that you are more independent than I am now. These days I feel like I have

to depend on my parents for almost everything. I often find myself turning to them to make decisions for me. I think I need to make changes now to help myself be more independent in the future.
Use these words to show order.
Use "like" and "such as" to give specific examples.
Use the phrase to show change is a process and needs to take time.
I have decided to take small but meaningful steps towards becoming more independent. First, I will start making my own decisions about everyday things, like what to wear, how to organize my time, and how to solve small problems on my own before asking for help. Second, I will take on more responsibilities at home, such as cooking simple meals and keeping my room tidy. Step by step, I hope I can become less dependent on my parents.
Big changes take time, and I won’t see a difference straight away. To help myself keep going, I will ask myself at the end of every day: what did I achieve by myself today, and what can I do more independently tomorrow?
In five years’ time, I hope you look back on these small steps and feel proud of how far you have come. I know change won’t happen overnight, but I believe that the girl writing this letter is already taking the first step, and that is a good start.
Love,
Amy
◆ Structure of the article ◆
Beginning: Say hello to your future self and describe the problem you have now.
Main body: Explain what steps you will take to change. You can also mention how you will keep going or check your progress.
Ending: Encourage your future self and express hope for the future.
B Think about your personality and habits now. Write a letter to your future self. What do you want to change about yourself? What will you do to make that change happen?