Writing as Self-Care - Intentional + Slow Living
Today, April 1, marks the start of National Letter and Card Writing Month—an entire month to celebrate happy mail, and you know that’s something we can get behind. It’s a simple way to stay connected right now. The month was started by the United States Postal Service back in 2001. To celebrate, we have a series of blog posts planned that celebrate writing as self-care. Not just in a pandemic, but always. Plus, we’re participating in the virtual Toronto Stationery Show with some of our favourite and fellow stationers from April 4-17, 2021. First up, how writing can help us live a more intentional and slow life.
Every time I pack up stationery to send off to you (or our stockists) the idea of someone like you sitting down at a table with a carefully chosen card, your favourite pen and a cup of coffee steaming away always makes me smile. The fact that I get to be part of those special moments in your day is swell!
Slowing down and being present is so important. In fact, that’s why I’ve created a three-part blog series about writing as self-care for Card and Letter Writing Month. They are a little gift from me to you and are meant to help you think about different ways you can incorporate writing into your life. From self-care to intentional living, sitting down and putting pen to paper is always rewarding. Enjoy!
Let’s Get Intentional
What does it mean to be intentional? More importantly, what the heck does it have to do with writing letters and cards?
Doing something with intention means acting with purpose. In other words, knowing why you are making the choice, saying the words, or doing the thing you are about to do. Knowing why can be a tricky business because it requires you to stop and evaluate before reacting.
“I find that mindfully taking a moment to ritualize my intentions helps me to will that best, most exalted self into being.”
In today’s fast-paced, high tech, instant response world being intentional doesn’t always come easily. Everything feels urgent. There is this sneaky, back-burner fear of falling behind or being left out.
The Slow Movement: Leaving The 24/7 World Behind
The Slow Movement is, at its core, all about alleviating “time poverty” by putting an end to pointless busyness and creating meaningful connections through intentional living. By slowing down we are able to connect more deeply with the people, places, food, seasons, and other parts of our lives. We are able to enjoy and participate in our lives instead of rushing through them.
Tiffany Shlain, author of 24/6: The Power Of Unplugging offers a simple first step to reclaiming time and presence in your life. What she calls a ‘Technical Shabbat’. Her book explores the deep impact turning off all screens for 24 hours, once a week, has had on her life and her family. Shlain’s book is a worthy read for anyone looking to explore the idea of intentional living or looking for ways to unplug.
The Trouble With Emojis, Thumbs Up, and Hearts
Do you remember what it was like before the age of emojis, likes, and follows? Whether you remember life before emojis or not, you’ve undoubtedly had at least one miscommunication because of a misinterpreted emoji. I think we all have! Without words, our true meaning can get lost in translation which can lead to embarrassing moments or hurt feelings.
More worrying than embarrassing miscommunications is the ability emojis, likes and ‘double tapping’ gives us to respond without taking the time to engage with the content we are reading or seeing. Shouldn’t communication be about a little bit more than the vague acknowledgment of a “Like”? Shouldn’t the words we use carry a little more weight? Wouldn’t it be swell if we were all just a little bit more intentional?
This is why Swell Made Co.’s “why” is all about keeping things simple, but significant.
Finding Your WHY: First Steps Towards Being More Intentional
Often, the concept of finding your WHY is connected to goal setting. After all, it’s a heck of a lot easier to figure out HOW you are going to get something done when you know WHY you are doing it in the first place, right?
So, when we talk about finding your WHY, we are talking about deciding what your motivation is. What do you want your life to be about? How do you want to feel? How do you want to make others feel? What do you want to contribute to the world, to the day, or to this one situation?
“Our WHY is the filter we run our choices through and it’s the landing pad we fall back on.”
Before you get overwhelmed trying to define your whole life’s purpose, take a deep breath. You can start with one part of your life or even with one decision. Small changes over time tend to stick, so don’t rush. Keep it simple!
5 Ways To Be More Intentional Daily
Being more intentional can be as simple as stopping to smell the roses! If you are looking to slow down and be more intentional in your daily life, why not start with these 5 simple (and significant) changes?
1 - Make A List
Being more intentional doesn’t mean being less productive. It is a “work smarter” instead of a “work harder” situation. Try starting your day by making a To-Do list to encourage action.
Start with three things that simply cannot wait (your Must Do list) and then add on things that need to get done, but could wait until tomorrow (or the next day).
Not only will you have stopped to give some thought to your day, but you will have also given yourself a realistic goal for the day! Way to be intentional with your time, friend.
2 - Make Someone Smile
Taking a little time to make someone smile is a great way to be intentional. It’s simple!
Pick a person
Think about what would make them smile, then
Do it!
Whether it’s making a phone call or sending a card (*hint hint*) carving out some time to do something nice is a win-win step towards living more intentionally.
3 - Stop And Smell The Latte
Not a coffee person? Then stop and smell the pumpkin spice, the fresh bread, or the fresh air. The idea is to find a few minutes in your day to stop and appreciate the little things in life. Try it! It’s intentional and feels so good.
4 - Put Down Your Phone
This one might feel hard and it’s O.K. to admit that. Our phones are often the primary way we communicate with the world. But trust me when I say, putting the phone down for an hour is going to be so worth it. Take some time to be present. Focus on where you are and the people you are with. BONUS: Limiting the time you spend on your phone is a great way to edge toward being more intentional when you pick it back up!
5 - Get More Sleep
Go to bed earlier. Take a nap. Whatever it takes! Getting more sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your mind and body. When you are well rested you can think more clearly and act with greater intention.
Writing A Card: An Exercise In Being Intentional
Cards don’t give you a lot of room to get your message down on paper. If you start writing without thinking, you’ll quickly fill up your card with a bunch of words that say a whole lot of nothing. In this way, the limited space offered by a card is both a challenge and an opportunity to practice being intentional.
Before you start writing your card, slow down and think about your WHY.
You signed up for this Stationery Subscription Box, so you obviously value writing and sending cards. In fact, signing up for this box was an intentional choice to make writing part of your life! Way to go. See how easy it can be?
So now that you have the cards, why not make writing meaningful messages that much easier by discovering WHY you want to be a person who writes. Maybe maintaining a connected family is really important to you. Maybe you want to be a person who shows others how much they are valued. In either case, card writing becomes one way you can intentionally make your WHY a reality. Simple, right?
Knowing WHY you want to take the time and effort to handwrite cards will help you make the process more intentional and the messages more meaningful.
Finding Your WHY: Channeling Your Inner Child
We’ve all been there. A cute little kiddo asks us a question and, thoughtfully, we answer with a perfectly reasonable reply. And then, they look at us with their sweet little face and ask… “But, why?” over, and over, and over again.
We could all learn a little something from the relentless curiosity of children. Asking “why” one time really only scratches the surface of the whole truth. Sometimes, to get to the heart of the matter, we need to keep digging.
So, when you are trying to find your true purpose or motivation, try asking “why” at least five times. I’ll give you an example, and then you can try it for yourself.
I want to start running.
Why?
Because I want to become more active.
Why?
Because I want to become healthier.
Why?
Because if I am healthier, I will have more energy.
Why?
Because I need more energy to keep up with my kids.
Why?
Because I want to have fun with them and be active in their lives.
When you take the time to dig a little deeper, you can connect with your WHY for wanting to run. It isn’t really just about being active and getting healthy, (in this example) it is because you want to be present and active in your children’s lives. That may be much more motivating for you, which means you will be more likely to start running!
Ripples: The Effects Of Being Intentional
Not only is writing an intentional act; it’s straight-up magical!
When you send someone a card, you are sending them more than words on paper. You are creating ripples, friend. Time and space collapse for the few minutes it takes to read your words. Your energy and intentions are right there on the page, ready to evoke feelings in your reader.
“There is a charm to letters and cards that emails and SMSes can’t ever replicate, you cannot inhale them, drawing the fragrance of the place they have been mailed from, the feel of paper in your hand bearing the weight of the words contained within. You cannot rub your fingers over the paper and visualize the sender, seated at a table, writing, perhaps with a smile on their lips or a frown splitting the brow. You can’t see the pressure of the pen on the reverse of the page and imagine the mood the person might have been in when he or she was writing it. Smiley face icons cannot hope to replace words thought out carefully in order to put a smile on the other person’s face, the pressure of the pen, the sharpness or the laxity of the handwriting telling stories about the frame of mind of the writer, smudges on the sheets of paper telling their own stories, blotches where tears might have fallen, hastily scratched out words where another would have been more appropriate, stories that the writer of the letter might not have intended to communicate.”
The effect of receiving a card or letter can be much deeper than either you, the writer, or the reader consciously know. A well-written card or letter gives your friend or loved one a little piece of you. It shows them that they hold a place in your thoughts and that, to you, they are valued.
5 Swell Facts About Writing + Your Brain
Need another reason to add card writing to your intentional living toolbox? We know that writing by hand forces us to slow down and be present, but did you know what else it’s doing to your brain?
Handwriting sparks creativity that may otherwise go untapped by stimulating parts of the brain that are unused when typing
Writing mindfully can trigger the release of oxytocin (the happy hormone)
Writing in cursive gets both hemispheres of your brain (left + right) working together which means writing is both a science and an art
When you write, you are simultaneously resting and stimulating your brain. Talk about multi-tasking!
Using writing as a mindfulness exercise affects the brain much like meditation
Make It Count: Writing And Reading Intentionally
You can really lean into being intentional by slowing down and being present while you get ready to write that card. If you make space for it, there is a beautiful little series of simple decisions that require you to pause and consider, if only for a moment.
What card is right for the person and the occasion?
Which pen or pencil is best?
Will you print or write in script?
What do you want to say?
How do you spell that word?
You get the idea. None of these questions are important on their own but in asking and answering them, you are creating an intentional experience for yourself and for the person to whom you are writing.
What kind of experience do you want to create?
Next time you pick up a pen, I hope you think about WHY you are writing and what kind of ripples you are making with each stroke and letter.
Thank you for reading! If you want to keep celebrating writing this month with Swell Made Co., be sure to sign up for our newsletter if you haven’t already.