Grab Your Pen -- It’s World Letter Writing Day!
Today is World Letter Writing Day. It’s a great day to write a letter to someone special… including yourself!
All right, I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t letter writing a thing of the past? This is 2021. We have email, not to mention a million different messaging apps. Writing a letter seems outdated. But letter writing actually has surprising benefits.
Studies show that students learn better when they take handwritten notes instead of typing. The process of manually writing words makes the brain more active than it is with typing. That’s because typing is a series of repetitive movements while handwriting requires different movements for each letter. Writing words by hand causes your brain to concentrate on your words more, meaning that you’ll choose words carefully and with intention.
So when you write letters, your brain will concentrate intensely on your feelings. Letter writing allows you to reflect on your emotions and communicate with honesty and vulnerability. It causes you to slow down and be mindful of the present moment. Plus, the recipient will feel excited to be able to physically hold your message in their hands. It’s much better than a screen!
Try these letter writing ideas:
Write a nice letter to a family member or friend. It doesn’t matter whether they live with you or they live far away. Think of something special about their personality that you love about them, and highlight that in your letter. Write about a happy memory you had with them. Thank them for the love and care they’ve given to you. They’ll be delighted to read your kind words!
Write to a teacher or mentor. Think about someone who has given you valuable guidance in the past. They’ve made a difference in your life. Write to them to thank them for what they’ve taught you, and tell them about a way you’ve used something they taught you in your life.
Write a letter to your pet. Okay, they can’t read it, but it’s still a fun thing to do! Write a letter about how much joy your pet brings you, and write about a funny thing they did that sticks in your memory. This letter will strengthen the bond between you and your pet.
Write a romantic love letter. If you have a romantic partner, they’ll be overjoyed to get a love letter from you. You can describe the reasons you love them, how they make you feel, and how much you appreciate all they’ve done for you. If you’re single and hoping to find that special someone soon, it might be fun to write a letter to your future partner.
Write a love letter to yourself! You deserve love, too. You’ve accomplished a lot, and you’ve made it through tough times. Celebrate yourself by writing a self-love letter. Later on, whenever you’re feeling low on confidence, take out that letter and reread it so you can remember all the great things about yourself.
Write a letter to your future self. Write about your hopes and dreams and give some inspiring words to your future self. Years from now, you can look back at this letter and read your words to give yourself a motivation boost. Reading your words from the past can make you smile and reminisce about old times.
Try one of these ideas or think of your own creative way to celebrate World Letter Writing Day! Be sure to include the date on your letters. Writing a letter may feel a bit strange at first, but after you do it, you’ll feel good. When you honestly express your emotions, you’ll have a sense of catharsis and happiness.
