These are indeed trying times. I’ve heard of the many struggles with finding activities to feed your soul during this COVI 19 crisis quarantine. Here is something to consider…

Write a letter. Write letters. Ditch the digital. Put pen to paper.

The value of a handwritten note cannot be underestimated. You have the time right now. Perhaps adding this activity to your daily routine will add a little joy to your world and to those you touch with your pen.

Do you remember the last handwritten note you received? Even more, do you remember the last handwritten note you sent?

With our technologically enhanced communications—email and voicemail, it is just so convenient to email people, or to leave one way voice messages for them, isn’t it?

After all, sending a handwritten note is SO difficult!

• It takes a a bit more time to write.
• It costs more than email – a $.50 cent stamp.
• It means a trip to the post office, or at least to your mail box.

Wow. So much extra work. And cost! We’re exaggerating here—the whole effort might take you an extra few minutes, and a  stamp, so it’s not that hard to do. The reality is that people just don’t do it much any more.

I’d like to challenge you to think of why a handwritten note can actually mean more today, than it might have before the advent of email and voicemail.
This is the key for you to have more impact. By writing a handwritten note, you’re doing something many others aren’t doing! You’re adding a personal touch in a world that is becoming technologically impersonal. You’re saying, “I care” in a very simple way.

What to write about? Just about anything. Here are some examples:

• Congratulations for a job well done.
• Best wishes for a promotion.
• Good luck on a new venture.
• Thanks for a helping hand.
• Appreciation for extra effort.
• Pride in a child’s accomplishment.
• Recognition for your spouse’s support
• Thanks for being my friend

I know one corporate executive who finishes EVERY day, by writing at least one handwritten note. He puts it in his daily routine. And he’s never been at a loss to find someone to write to.

I still have a two page handwritten letter my husband once gave to me, telling me how much he cared about me and how he’s enjoyed sharing his life with me. I carry it in my daily planner. I guess there’s something about those handwritten ones that make them much harder to toss, and more special…

The biggest challenge about writing handwritten notes is simply just getting to it. It really doesn’t take much more time, and a small stamp could be one of the most inexpensive yet treasured gifts you can give.

I write this on day 52 of the COVID crisis. Just think, if you had written only one note a day, you would have brought joy, love and inspiration to 52 others.

Handwritten notes ARE gifts. People really appreciate and enjoy them. The biggest challenge is to “get to it!” Just remember that every handwritten note you send will help you energize those around you, and maybe even make their day.

So, when will you write your next note?