In June of 1993, I was a senior in high school. Graduation was just around the corner, and I could already taste the freedom of college life in the fall.
One of my classes that semester was a psychology course taught by an amazing teacher, Mr. Friedman. He had a real gift for connecting with students, and his class was so much fun.
On the last day of school, Mr. Friedman had us do an exercise.
He told us to write something nice about each of our classmates on little slips of paper. At the end of the exercise, each student had 30 slips of paper with 30 positive statements.
The notes were anonymous.
Later that night, I sat at my desk and read through the different notes. “You’re strong willed and smart.” “You’re hard working.” “You’re well behaved.” LOL!
The notes made me feel special, appreciated and loved.
When it came time to leave for college, I put my notes in a box and took them with me.
I’ve kept those slips of paper for 16 years, taking them out to read when I’ve felt blue or faced a big challenge in my life.
The notes have consoled me through many tough times, like those first lonely years of college, when it felt impossible to get my bearings.
I was reading through them last night when it hit me: we should totally write these notes to ourselves!
Get some slips of paper (a good amount, like 20-30), and on each one, write something positive or nice about yourself. 🙂
Keep them in a special box or jar, and set it aside someplace safe. That way, you can take them out whenever you need inspiration or strength.
Yeah, I know it’s a little cheesy, but a little cheese never hurt anyone (Mmm… gouda…).
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I think this is a great idea.. perfect for pickme ups which is something we all need from time to time!!
Id do this to inspire myself. Like id have a sticky note in the fridge saying ‘you deserve to eat healthier’
etc..
Hi Tali,
I write sticky notes to myself too. I mostly remind myself to not freak out, LOL!
I really like this idea, it’s really nice 🙂 I’m pretty sure that I did something like this in at least one of my classes, but it’s a great idea to do this for yourself. Now I need to think think think about what I am going to write!
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Hi Nessa,
I hope you have fun doing this. I think it’ll be a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.
this is so cute!
isnt it amazing how some people can tough your lives !
i had a professor who taught me packaging design in my first year of college – i was a very angry, lonely single girl who lost all her hs friends cause they all went away to college and i stayed in nyc. I only concentrated on school work – he sat me down one day and told me if i didnt make a change in my life now i wasn’t going to be able to prosper in my career and that my attitude would ensure me to be alone all my life – his words totally helped me change my perspective in life and helped to get me to where my life is today! he was really great in positive reinforcement and i was lucky enough to have had 4 classes with him through my college years! he taught me alot and def changed my life!
Hi YadiQ,
It’s amazing how the people we meet have the power to shape and change our lives.
When I started college I felt lonely, too, mostly because I didn’t have any good friends from high school with me. Nothing really prepared me for that big shift — it was hard. I’m glad that you had your professor to guide you. It sounds like he is a really great person. 🙂
In my Medicinal Chem class, we did a presentation and got feedback from our classmates. I still keep some of them because they are nice. One person especially wrote “Dao is the best presenter” 🙂 When I was moving to the new place, I found them and almost felt like crying right then and there. That class was the best undergrad class for me!
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Hi Dao,
I am glad you kept your notes. They are such a nice thing to have when you need a boost, aren’t they? 🙂
Oh yeah! i did that in the last day of my first semester in University in some Behavioral class xDD it was SO nice, i have the picture of all those notes somewhere too ^^ ill try to find it!
Hi Liz,
If you find it send it to me! 🙂
What a nice idea! I think we did this once in grade school and I really wished I had saved them like you did. BTW – I’m class of ’93 as well (high school, that is)!
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Hi Audrey,
LOL, so I guess you’d get all my references to old school 90210, like the Kelly-Brenda-Dylan love triangle!
I love this. I think I had those write yourself a letter in eighth grade thing, and we got it at the end of the year. It was weird lol, I wish I had kept that though.
I remember writing to myself a while ago too, but I don’t have any clue where the paper went hahaha. I should keep track of stuff first.
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Hi Lily,
That’s a neat idea. I might try writing myself a letter at the start of the year and then hold off till the end of the year (or maybe even a few years). Hmm…
Anyhoo, thank you for the idea!
I did something like this in college at a retreat for a student organization I was a part of. We each got a paper bag and we had to write notes to everyone else and deliver them in the bags, then at the end of the retreat you get to read what is in your bag. I still have all those notes. When I need a morale boost, I read the notes (sometimes over and over because they’re such nice words).
Hi Tatiana,
Aren’t they the best thing when you need something to brighten your day? I read my over and over again, too.
Karen,
you are an amazing person!
Love the idea! Thank you for sharing this!!
Hi Alexx,
You are amazing person, too!
I am glad you liked this post. 🙂 I really hope your slips bring you joy!
What a great idea !!!
Everyone goes through tough times and its little things-or massive in this case, that help you through them.
We each had a book that everyone wrote in when we left high school, I still have it somewhere..little notes, letters, pictures…I must find it !
And you are pretty amazing Karen…….:)
Hi Anna,
You’re pretty amazing, too! 🙂
I hope you find your book and read through it soon. I bet it’ll remind you of all the great times you had and give you a boost.
Well…I’ve never written love notes to myself,but I do that on regular basis to…my husband.We are both re-married,we are best friends,lovers,partners – you name it,we value same things,come from similar families (different continents,but still similar,it happens all the time)we appreciate and like same things (almost) etc.
3 years ago he traveled a lot without me unfortunately,and every time he left,I had packed his luggage and always put(rather hide) little love notes;sometimes in cute envelopes,or on the back of pictures I have taken and he especially liked.
And it really didn’t matter how much I had written every time,but the fact that I did remember that he was going to be alone has helped him to survive the time we were apart (and me too).
We still have most of the notes,not to mention I’ve got all the cards and letters written by my husband to me 🙂
Hi Madeleine,
Thank you for sharing this story. It sounds like you and your husband have an amazing marriage. That’s really sweet that you saved all of the things he’s written for you. A man that can express himself with words? What a great guy! 🙂
This is a great idea and a great pick me up! Love the site girl!
Hi Suri,
Thanks! I am glad you like it. 🙂
Oh Karen such a nice story! I’d like to try this sometime somewhere, thanks for sharing =)
Hi Adriana,
I hope you do! I am going to do it, too. Maybe this weekend when the rain sits in and I’m stuck at home…
I graduate class of ’92 – if i were in your class i would have wrote “lylas” hahahahhahaha – i love yearbook acronyms!
we did something like this in my creative writing class my senior year – why did one of my friends say “future politician’s mistress’ about me?
not so much – Gavin Newsome’s hair scares me!
Hi Lexi,
LOLOLOL… funny thing is I still remember what that means!
Girl, despite his helmet hair Gavin will always be HOT. A few years ago after the whole Brad/Jen/Angelina thing exploded I wanted to take the “I’ll have your baby, Brad” t-shirt and change it to “I’ll have your baby, Gavin.”
Love the idea, I do it all the time for my son Valentine, under his pillow etc, just letting him know that mummy loves him!
Hi Wendy,
That is really sweet! I bet your son feels like a million bucks when he finds your notes. 🙂
Awww, that’s such a cute idea. 😀
We did this in high school, think it was Economics class, for some weird reason! It was really nice, although I can’t remember what was said about me. What I have is this box of letters, cards, etc, that friends and loved ones have given me that I cherish very much 🙂 it’s always nice to read back when you’re a bit down.
I would love to do this again with my group of friends though, thank for the reminder!
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Hi Renee,
You’re welcome. 🙂 Happy Friday!
Oh karen, this is a great idea.
Hi Karen,
I happened upon your blog via FB while perusing thru the JLHS group pages! (I graduated a year later. : ) ) Anyhoo… I had Mr. Friedman, as well, and remember this exercise! I wish I had kept mine!
Love the blog!!
Happy Friday! : )
I do this with my second graders at Valentine’s Day. It’s great to see what the kids come up with. I won’t allow them to make comments about possessions; “I like your shoes” isn’t acceptable. So, you get a lot of “You are funny” “I like playing soccer with you” or “You are pretty” but the kids get a kick out of reading them, and so do I :o)