Self Care

5 Ways to Treat Your (Future) Self

Already dreaming up next year’s!

· 2 min read
A colorful flat lay of zines, postcards, and stickers, including The Ragamuffin Review and Slug Club, featuring hand-drawn art, bright colors, and handwritten notes.

This week I got some "not so unexpected" mail (in the sense that I asked to receive it, but it still delighted me.)

For the past ten months, I’ve been reaping the benefits of my past self’s foresight—and I’m so grateful to her for it. She decided to invest in small ways to add whimsy to our life by planning and setting up little treats throughout the year.

1. Art Subscriptions

I've rediscovered the joy of receiving mail! Every time I go back to my parents' house, I dive into my memory box, full of all the postcards and letters I've ever received in my life. I sometimes snap pictures of them and text them to their original senders.

I miss the excitement of opening the mailbox and not finding it full of junk mail! So I signed up to get fun, beautiful, and inspiring mail agin.

Here are my current subscriptions:

My creative friend Madeline also just launched her Tender Post Mail Club, so exciting!

2. Postcards

One month before my birthday this year, I asked friends and family members to send me a postcard. Only the people who are friends with me on Facebook received my mailing address, but I got a kick from receiving news from close family members and former work friends. Seeing their handwriting felt truly special!

Thank you everyone who participated—I'm (slowly) working on replying to you all!

3. Gift Cards

I started gifting myself experiences last year. Black Friday isn't my jam, but putting some money aside to treat myself throughout the year is one of the best things I’ve done during this shopping-frenzy season.

Here's what I got:

  • a float session

And here’s what I’m adding to my idea list:

4. Pre-Ordering

In this two-day delivery world, I delight in waiting for something for a few weeks. Last spring, my friend Em launched a tote to support her farm and apothecary. I bought one, and waited for our mutual friend Ceydi to visit her in Washington State and bring it back to me weeks later. I hadn't forgotten about it—but the anticipation worked its magic.

5. Booking in Advance

The initial idea of booking in advance came from something less whimsical—scheduling your next yearly doctor or dentist appointment before leaving their office.

But why not do this for restaurants, hotels, or haircuts too? Having a standing appointment is someone's nightmare, but to me, it's either something to look forward to (my next vacation) or something to forget about (my next dentist visit). Saving myself the hassle of scheduling is a gift to my future self.

And there's always the option to cancel or postpone—within a reasonable timeframe—if you can’t make it.

A small wooden table with zines, postcards, and stickers scattered beside a brass candlestick, sunlight highlighting the colorful, hand-drawn mail collection.

In what ways do you treat your future self?

Read Next