What should I ask my future self?

Ask about the things that are uncertain right now — a decision, a relationship, a goal, a worry. Those are the questions that will be satisfying to answer later. Balance them with a few snapshots of ordinary life (what your days look like, who you talk to, what you're listening to), because those details are what make the message feel like time travel when it comes back.

How far in the future should I send it?

One year is the most common choice and works for almost everyone. Six months suits a specific goal or a big change you're in the middle of. Five or ten years is for the questions about who you're becoming — but the further out you go, the more the details of your current life matter, since you'll have forgotten them.

Can I record a message to my future self instead of writing one?

Yes — and it's the version we'd recommend. A recording captures things a letter can't: your voice, how you actually sounded at this age, the pauses. Pick any prompt on this page and use the "record this out loud" link; ttyl holds the recording and delivers it to you on the date you choose. One minute is plenty.

questions to ask your future self

prompts for talking to the person you're becoming

Talking to your future self is one of the oldest journaling exercises there is, and one of the few with real research behind it: people who feel connected to their future selves make kinder decisions on that person's behalf. These prompts give you something to say. The quickest version is a one-minute voice message — answer a question out loud, pick the date, and hear yourself back in a year. They work on paper too, but the recording is the one you'll be gladder you made.

mood (optional)

timeframe

prompt type

questions to ask your future self to write about

What are you most worried about right now — and did it turn out to matter?record this out loud →
What does an ordinary day look like for me today? What do you hope has changed, and what do you hope hasn't?record this out loud →
Who are the three people I spend the most time with? Are they still close to you?record this out loud →
What am I working toward right now? Did I get there, or did I find something better?record this out loud →
What's a decision I'm putting off? Which way did you go?record this out loud →
What's making me happy today that I'm probably taking for granted?record this out loud →
What do I believe about myself right now that I hope you've proven wrong?record this out loud →
What are you proud of that I can't see coming?record this out loud →
What song, show, or book is on repeat for me? Does it still hit the same?record this out loud →
What am I afraid to try? Did you try it?record this out loud →
What's my relationship with my body like right now? How are you treating yours?record this out loud →
Who do I need to forgive? Have you managed it?record this out loud →
What's the best advice I've been given this year? Did it hold up?record this out loud →
What do I want you to remember about being this age?record this out loud →
What would I tell you to stop worrying about?record this out loud →
What's something I did this year that took courage?record this out loud →
Where am I living, and where do you live now? Was the move worth it?record this out loud →
What's a habit I'm trying to build? Is it just part of your life now?record this out loud →
What would make me feel like this year was a success? Was it?record this out loud →
What am I most looking forward to? Was it as good as I hoped?record this out loud →
If I could send you one thing from today — a smell, a sound, a moment — what would it be?record this out loud →
What am I grateful for right now, before it becomes normal?record this out loud →
What's the one question I'd most like you to answer honestly?record this out loud →
What do I hope you've let go of?record this out loud →
What do I hope you still do, exactly the way I do it now?record this out loud →

The best future-self prompts do two things at once. They capture where you are right now — what you're worried about, what you're hoping for, what an ordinary Tuesday looks like — and they ask the future listener a real question they'll be able to answer. "Did the job work out?" is a question. "I hope you're happy" is a wish. Both belong in the message, but the questions are what make hearing it feel like a conversation.

Pick a date before you start. A year is the classic choice; six months is good for a specific goal; five years is for the big stuff. Knowing when it'll be heard changes what you say. Pick any prompt below, tap "record this out loud", and ttyl holds the recording and delivers it on the day you choose.

FAQ

Prefer to reflect out loud? ttyl lets you record audio journal entries to your future self — a spoken letter to your future self.

record right here on the web →

download ttyl to start your audio journal

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questions to ask your future self to write about

FAQ

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