When was the last time you wrote or received a meaningful, personal letter?
Text messages, social media and email often are more convenient ways to communicate. They also may get lost among hundreds of other messages and be less meaningful to the recipient than a personal letter or card.
“An email or text message is gone in an instant — a written note needs to be opened and read — it’s like opening a little gift,” lifestyle influencer Grace Atwood shares with How Life Unfolds®.
If you’re among the 15 percent of adults who has never written or sent a letter, give your contacts a positive reason to check their mailboxes by sending a meaningful, personal note today.
“Writing a letter to a loved one is a wonderful way to convey meanings that can feel intangible,” said habit psychologist and podcast host Lunide Louis, Ph.D in a recent Real Simple article. “The words you choose — especially words that carry a particular weight — leave a lasting impression. People remember how you made them feel.”
Use these four tips to write meaningful, personal letters that recipients will treasure.
1. Choose your medium carefully.
Any piece of paper and pen will do, but if you want to make your personal letter stand out, consider your stationery choice.
According to the Art of Manliness, “Quality stationery makes writing a true pleasure and creates a distinct impression on those lucky enough to receive your letters.”
The type of stationery you choose should complement the purpose of your correspondence, with paper and envelopes becoming more formal as the importance of the letter increases. If you are committing to sending more letters, consider buying personalized stationery or custom return address labels.
2. Write with a purpose.
Whether you want to send a letter to show you’re thinking of someone, encourage a friend, say thank-you or express your love, think about what you’d like to say before you put pen to paper.
If you’re not sure, expressing gratitude is a great place to start.
And don’t forget: A personal letter can be as short or as long as you’d like it to be.
3. Don’t worry about being perfect.
Be yourself. Your penmanship, spelling and grammar don’t need to be perfect for your message to be meaningful.
Atwood says, “The note itself is the gesture. I’d take a handwritten note with mistakes over a perfectly spelled email any day.”
If you are concerned about penmanship, consider typing your letter before signing it with a pen.
4.Don’t forget to buy stamps – soon.
Mailing letters requires postage – and rates are on the rise. The price of postage for First-Class Mail Forever Stamps in the U.S. will increase to 63 cents on Jan. 22, 2023, so consider buying stamps soon. You also can join Domtar’s advocacy for an affordable, reliable postal service by engaging with Keep US Posted.
Canada Post standard size postage is $1.07 per stamp purchased individually and 92 cents per stamp purchased in a booklet at time of publication.
