Method guide · Progress through phases
Writing a letter to yourself
Use to write learning and a first next action to your future self, with personal custody as the default.
- People
- 2–50
- Base procedure time
- 20 minutes
- Recording
- Individual record
Purpose: Reflect and learn; Make a decision.
English guide
Text acceptance is not approval of this rendered page, its media, or publication.
How this method works
Write learning and a next action to your future self as a reflection exercise. The default is for each person to take their sealed letter home and write its opening date on the envelope. If the organiser holds letters, explain the return date, unopened storage, responsible person, locked location and disposal of undelivered letters before starting; accept only envelopes for which explicit consent has been given. Do not read the letters or make copies. Record only an identification number, return date and processing date in the log. If someone withdraws, return the envelope unopened or, if they choose, shred it while still unopened. If even one safe-custody condition is missing, use personal custody only.
Phase schedule
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- Choose personal custody, safe organiser custody or passing0–3 minutes from the start (3 minutes)
Action: Choose. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
- Write learning and an action to your future self3–13 minutes from the start (10 minutes)
Action: Write. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
- Place the letter in the envelope and seal it yourself13–15 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Seal. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
- Write an opening or return date on the envelope15–17 minutes from the start (2 minutes)
Action: Write. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
- Take it home or hand it over unopened17–20 minutes from the start (3 minutes)
Action: Hand. Participation: Individually.
Individual record
Facilitation steps
- For 3 minutes, present personal custody as the default. Only if organiser custody is offered, show the return date, responsible person, locked location and disposal date, then let each person choose a custody route or pass.
- For 10 minutes, each person writes to their future self about learning from this session, what they want to change and the first action they will take. Do not show the letter to anyone else.
- For 2 minutes, each person puts their own letter into the envelope and seals it. The facilitator does not open envelopes or copy the text.
- For 2 minutes, each person writes only the opening date on the outside for personal custody, or only the return address and return date for organiser custody.
- For 3 minutes, people choosing personal custody take their envelopes home. Place only envelopes with explicit consent into the locked box for organiser custody. Record only an identification number, return date and processing date in the log.
If something changes
If
Before starting, even one of unopened storage, return date, custodian, locked location or disposal of undelivered letters is undecided.
Then
Do not offer organiser custody. Use only the route in which each person takes their sealed letter home.
If
Even one person does not consent to providing an address or to organiser custody.
Then
Do not ask them to write an address; use personal custody. Do not record their reason for choosing, address or letter contents.
If
One person requests withdrawal before the letter is returned.
Then
After verifying their identity, return the envelope unopened or shred it while still unopened if they choose. Leave only the processing date in the log.
Preparation
Materials
- Writing paper: at least one sheet per person
- Envelopes: one per person
- Personal-custody, organiser-custody and pass choice cards: one per person
- One undelivered-letter processing log for letters held by the organiser, showing the return date and person responsible for custody
- One lockable storage box if organiser custody is offered
Room and setup
- Present personal custody as the default. Only if the organiser will hold letters, display the responsible person, return date, locked storage location and disposal date for undelivered letters.
Adjust for people and time
For 2–50 people, write individually at the same time, with personal custody as the default. Offer organiser custody only for no more than 50 letters, and only when the locked box, custodian, return date and disposal of undelivered letters can be managed for every letter. For 51 or more people, do not offer organiser custody; everyone keeps their own letter. Do not aggregate addresses, letter contents, custody choices or passes.
Safety and non-applicable situations
Personal custody is the default, and passing is available. Organiser custody requires every safe-custody condition and explicit consent. Do not read or copy letters. Keep the specified minimal log only and allow withdrawal with unopened return or shredding. Do not put addresses, reasons or letter contents in the log, or aggregate custody choices or passes.
Historical translation and source notes
These original notes are retained verbatim with their fixed source versions. This historical label does not resolve a source-specific concern or establish current acceptance.
- The materials describe a log showing the return date and custodian, while the guide and final step limit log entries to identification number, return date and processing date. Both statements remain; no extra log field is silently authorised.
Manuscript's recorded references
These translate the original manuscript's source and rights claims. They remain separate from any current-page notice below; they do not establish new verification.
- Seeds for Change Facilitation Tools: Writing a letter to yourself
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/tools
anti-copyright adaptation; changes made
- Conditions applying to anti-copyright
https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
anti-copyright
Diagram, print, and video language
Original Japanese guide, diagram, and print view. Their labels and print text have not been translated; an English print edition is not provided here.
English video-library navigation. Original Japanese audio, subtitles and transcripts remain labelled Japanese resources. Their translations are separate later work. No remote player is embedded here.
The manual English phase controls are a navigation aid, not a live facilitation timer. Interactive diagram motion remains pending.
Editorial provenance
Japanese source status and logs are provenance only. They do not mean this English text or interface was field-tested. Historical fixed-text acceptance and hold records remain specific to their recorded versions; displaying them neither asserts current acceptance nor resolves source-specific restrictions.