what if we wrote letters again?
And what if we take a trip to intentional connection?
We know life isn’t always simple, and there’s already enough on your plate. Self-care isn’t meant to be just another item on your to-do list. It’s more about doing less, or doing things with more intention. Therefore, nothing here is a must.
With this new series called “What if…?” we want to dream about utopian ideas together. It is about embracing the experience and evaluating what we think about it. Come along!
Imagine this:
One morning, without warning, messaging apps quietly fade out.
No dramatic announcement. No panic. Just… silence. The little dots stop blinking. The notification sounds go quiet. People, collectively and instinctively, reach for something else — paper, a pen, a few quiet minutes.
We begin to write.
Without the speed of instant replies, we choose our words more carefully. We reflect, summarise, and wonder. Instead of updating someone moment by moment, we start offering a broader view — here is where I’ve even, here is what I’ve been thinking, here’s what reminded me of you this week.
We start recognising each other’s handwriting again.
What if we wrote letters again?
Maybe, we’d remember that connection isn’t just about frequency but depth.
The unique power of letters and postcards (the science)
Writing letters and postcards yield some interesting psychological advantages over digital texting. They include benefits for the writer, the receiver, and the connection between the two.
When writing a letter, you often summarise life, get some perspective, and express feelings more fully. This can offer some valuable insights into your current state. Besides, the mere process of handwriting can reduce stress and help process emotions, leading to emotional clarity.
When you receive a letter, your anticipation and reward systems are activated, which can heighten the emotional impact it has on you. You can hold, smell, save, and revisit it — offering sensory and emotional grounding in an otherwise very digitalised world.
A handwritten letter can also strengthen the emotional connection between the writer and the reader. The time and effort involved communicates a deeper care and intention and feels more personal and intimate than a digital message.
Side quest of the week
You’re invited to write a letter. To yourself, to someone you love, to a friend, or a relative.
Find pen and paper. Sit somewhere quiet, turn off your phone and see what comes to mind. No goals, no pressure, just letting your thoughts flow. Put it some place you don’t often look at. Or give to a close one to store until your next birthday. You might be surprised by what’s changed — or what hasn’t.
With love,
Jen
Subscribe to The AMII Safe-Space™ so you never miss an issue. Photo by Mário Rui André on Unsplash