Write a letter to the future
It's pretty simple.
Step One
Write a letter. It can be as short or as long as you want. It can be to someone else or yourself. You can even include a photo.
Step Two
Choose the date you want the letter to be delivered to the recipient. This could be tomorrow or in a few years—your choice!
Step Three
That's it! Everything else is automated. So, sit back, relax, and read letters by other people. Or, you can support the site.
Is it really free?
Yes. Future Postbox is completely free—it's a side hobby of The Postman who runs the site. That said, the site does cost money to run and The Postman has some lofty dreams of where it could all go:
· Imagine being able to send messages based on geography, temperature, or factors other than just time!
· Imagine sending different types of media: Videos, documents, voice messages, and more!
· Imagine having your own app and account where you can keep track of all the letters you've sent and received!
Perhaps one day, but that all costs money and The Postman is a volunteer. If you'd like to support the site visit Future Postbox's support page.
What do you write?
Whatever you like! People use Future Postbox for lots of different reasons. Some use it as a time capsule of thoughts and feelings, some use it as a way to set or track goals, some use it to say the things that are too hard to say face-to-face, and others use it as a daily journal. If you're after more inspiration, you can read letters others have written. NB: There are some limitations on explicit content (see below).
Are there any limits on content?
Future Postbox is a place of love and good vibes.
· The Postman will not tolerate any form of cyber bullying, trolling, or illegal activity.
· Future Postbox cannot host any form of pornographic imagery.
· Letters may be screened and The Postman reserves the right not to send, delete, or forward your letter to any relevant authorities.
· Anyone under the age of 18 should seek permission to use Future Postbox from their parent or guardian.
· Please refer to the Data and Privacy Policy for more information.
Is it automated?
Yes! As of October 2023, Future Postbox is now completely automated. In the past, The Postman manually sent every letter. This was not only tedious but resulted in some occasional issues with consistency of delivery (The Postman apologises to anyone affected). So, the service should now be a lot more reliable! Oh, you may wish to add the email address thepostman@futurepostbox.com to your safe senders to avoid messages going to spam.
What's the difference in privacy options?
· If you select "This letter can be public", your letter can be read by others via the read page. If you've made your letter public, but later change your mind, send an email to The Postman with your details and it will be removed from the public page.
· If you select "Keep this letter private", then it will only be sent to the intended recipient.
What does The Postman do with your data?
The Postman is extremely cautious with your data. Primarily, it's used to:
· Get the letter to where it needs to go.
· Provide you (extremely infrequent) updates about Future Postbox.
For more information, please read Future Postbox's full Privacy Policy.
A glimpse at what other people have written.
July 26, 2015
From:
David Lewis
To:
David Lewis
Date to be sent:
July 26, 2016
Dear 2015-version of myself, A year ago today, I penned this letter to you in the hope that by the time you read it, twelve months later, you would have made the following changes to your trainwreck of a life: 1. Pad Thai, while undeniably delicious, should not be eaten thrice a week. Taking pity on the restaurant owners who each night stick their heads out from the kitchen wishing that, for once, the tables would be full of hungry customers is sweet but by no means a justification for this unhealthy addiction of yours. Cook your own damn food! 2. Remember when you awoke in your college dormitary to find nothing in the fridge but half a tub of margarine and a clove of garlic with which to somehow construct a meal? That was cute in 2007 but almost a decade later, and five years into a successful career, you really should leave yourself with more to eat before pissing away your last twenty bucks at McDonalds at 2AM after a night out on the town. 3. You're also far too old to experience the crushing anxiety that comes with handing over a key card to a salesperson and wondering if there will be enough money in your account to buy new shoes after the soles fell out of your favourite pair days earlier. The last time this happened the payment was in fact declined. You fumbled while slipping your key card back into your wallet and dropped the lot on the floor. As you scrambled to pick everything up, you muttered something about having to rush off to the bank, and fled the store red-faced with your tail between your legs. Learn to budget already, dude! 4. After finally stepping out of the closet in 2011, it seemed the world was your oyster. You played the field and turned down umpteen promising contenders for your heart, citing reasons as trivial as "I hate their taste in music". You assumed there was no shortage of time in which to find a partner and that you could afford to be fussy. However, as you lie awake at night, your face illuminated by the bright yellow colour schme of the gay hook-up app Grindr, you will discover the old adage "there's plenty of fish in the sea" is in fact bullshit. You really should have grabbed onto the first guy who took an interest in you, before mounting horses, and galloping off into the sunset together. Life lesson: you're not perfect and your partner won't be either. 5. There's nothing like a merciless round of redundancies to shock you out of your complaceny at work. You might be safely out of the firing line now - being young and cheap to hire - but there will come a time when, after many decades of unwavering loyalty to the corporation, your services are no longer required. Don't expect to find satisfaction only in work. When all is said and done, it is your family and friends who will be standing by your side. Invest as much in them, if not more, than you do in your career. 6. Go to the gym more, sign up to a yoga classes, and do a juice cleanse, yada, yada, yada. Gotta go demolish some Pad Thai. Later, 2016 myself.
November 13, 2011
From:
Daniel Anderson
To:
Daniel Anderson
Date to be sent:
November 13, 2012
Dear Future me, I don't know if you are successful yet, however, don't give up, you're still young. You have a bright future if you keep trying. You dont have to be the best, just try your best. I don't know whats happened over the past year but at this time last year you were pretty stressed with final exams and certain things in your life which werent going your way. Anyway this is just refreshing your mind of a year ago. Push yourself over and over until you achieve your goals. Remember to respect those you care about, they wont be there forever, as you can remember. This must have been a big year for you future me so goodluck with the rest of it, it may be hard but it will get easier. Regards, Past Self
