Gratitude: 5 Tips for Writing and Sending Handwritten Letters

by Brooke Johnson on November 6th, 2012 | No Comments »

How often do you write and receive handwritten letters? Sometimes, this simple act can seem like a long lost art. In this day and age, stopping to truly connect with people in thoughtful and meaningful ways is hard. With our "always on the go" ways of life, finding time to sit down and write a handwritten letter can seem like such a burdensome task. Instead, sending an email, Facebook message, or direct message on Twitter can seem so much easier and faster.

How do handwritten letters make you feel? Let's face it, sometimes there's nothing better than going through the mail only to find a note or card from a family member or friend. Knowing that they found time to sit down and put their thoughts on paper can make your day.

With life of
ten getting in the way of you being able to take the time and handwrite a letter, during the week of November 12th, artist Ivan Cash will re-launch his popular “Snail Mail my Email” project. This project is designed to increase awareness of the appeal of snail mail and the importance of slowing down and being mindful.

For a whole week, Cash and his design team will be accepting emails via his website and will then turn those emails into a handwritten letter and mail those letters for you, for free! Visit the www.snailmailmyemail.org website to learn more.

Until then, finding time, buying cards, and putting the letters in the mail can seem a bit daunting. Here are five tips for making writing and sending handwritten letters easier:

1. Remind and schedule. Add a reminder in your calendar to sit down and concentrate on your letter(s). One of the biggest problems I have when I need to send a letter is remembering to actually sit down and write it. Adding a deadline or scheduling a 15-minute break in your day to write will help you remember and keep your letters timely.
2. Buy or purchase stationary. What good is scheduling and reminding yourself to write a letter to someone if you don’t have a card? I buy cards in packs, that way when I make the time to write a letter to someone, I always have the supplies I need.
3. Dig deep. Not every letter needs to be sappy, but a little thought and personalization can really make a letter memorable. Talk about why you are writing the letter, funny memories you’ve shared, your gratitude for them, and/or how much you care about them.
4. Save addresses. What is more fun than getting mail from someone who you haven’t talked to in a while? I love being able to pull open my address book and randomly pick a friend or family member to send some love to via post!
5. Lost for words? Don’t fret. Thinking of someone doesn’t always need to be expressed in words. Sending a picture with “I love you!” on the back, or a receipt of a favorite place you go together can be all a person needs to make their day.

Featured image courtesy of Flickr.