National Letter Writing Month 2019

The following post was written for Grace & Salt ink. We are doing a joint Happy Mail Giveaway in honor of National Letter Writing Month. If you want to enter to win a ton of goodies I collected along with some Grace & Salt ink postcards go to their Instagram to find out more!

Usually a stop at the mailbox means bills, junk mail and maybe some kind of advertisement. Honestly, almost everything that’s delivered to me on a weekly basis goes right into the trash. In this day of technology we forget the simple art of writing a letter. It’s too easy to pick up our phones and send a text, email or message on any number of social media platforms. We’ve become too quick to go to our keyboards before picking up a pen. For this reason the next generations might never be given stacks of letters written by their parents or grandparents, and that’s a shame.

Since I started my crusade of letter writing I have gained pen pals from South Africa, Germany, England and across the United States. Some of them are old friendships now expanded to pen pals, others are people I only know from the pictures they post on Instagram. I always look forward to checking the mailbox each day to see if there are any goodies from near or far. Every letter I receive is unique. My pen pals have sent pictures, washi tape, creative little pieces and so much more. With each letter I challenge myself to come up with new ideas to put a smile on the face of my letter writing friends, and I do my best to inspire.

I know I will never have stack and stacks of letters like my grandparents, but hopefully I will have something tangible to share with future generations to show that letter writing is not dead.

Letter Writing Month 

April is Letter Writing Month, the goal is to write a minimum of 30 letters in 30 days. In 2018 I took up the challenge for the first time and sent out over 35 pieces of happy mail. Most were postcards that I designed, but there were also a few letters and packages mixed in. The idea of sending out 30 letters was intimidating and seemed impossible, so last year I posted a picture looking for people that wanted some happy mail in the month of April. I got a few responses and continue to be pen pals with a few of them.

Last year I walked in with a pretty good plan which helped me to complete the challenge easier than I anticipated. Here are a few tips for anyone who wants to take up the challenge of April Letter Writing Month this year.

Write On
Check out writeoncampaign.com and follow them on Instagram and Facebook to be inspired not only through the month of April, but all year long to write letters. Their website is full of resources to help you achieve your goal. They even sell kits and prompt cards to keep you on track.

Make a spreadsheet
Through the month of March I created a spreadsheet in preparation of April. I listed all the names and addresses of those I planned on sending happy mail to in the order I was going to send them. This helped me to not only to know I was going to hit my goal as long as I completed my list.

Pre-address
Once your list is made, start getting your postcards, packages or envelopes addressed. If you are going to attempt to write at least one person a day saving yourself the time will be well worth the effort.

Have fun!

Take this opportunity to write family. Make your grandma’s day, send some happy mail to some of the kids in your extended family or your college roommate. If you get behind, don’t worry about it, you have 30 days to catch back up again, and if you send the last few out in May that’s great too!

This year my plan is more or less the same as last year. The majority of my 30 letters will be postcards of my own design and I will be working from a spreadsheet comprised of current pen pals, family, friends and maybe a few new names! I’m looking forward to seeing how many pieces of happy mail I send out this year!

Don’t forget to write #ISentLoveInAnEnvelope on each piece of happy mail and when you post pictures on social media!

Visit Grace & Salt ink on their website at graceandsaltink.co.uk 
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I’m not infallible.

Perfection is unobtainable, no matter how hard we try. Yet for some reason we are always reaching and hoping for it. At times we feel we have it, that things are falling into place and everything seems wonderful. Then there are times of disaster where it seems like our mistakes out weigh out success. Fortunately, we usually we fall somewhere in the middle.

At the moment I feel like I am firmly in the negative extreme. Although things are getting done, and for the most part correctly, every step feels like a fight to the death. I am not foolish enough to think that I am infallible, but I hate to feel like I leave disaster in my wake. I know that most of these feelings are in my head trying to overwhelm me and I am doing my best to take each failed attempt and learn from it. Not all lessons are easy to understand, but usually the toughest ones hold the most growth.

In time the pendulum will swing, and the frustration of these negative moments will be a thing of the past. Right now I am hanging to the hope of better days while I swallow the disappointing moments of now. In the great words of Anne Shirley “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

A day that is bad.

I forgot how much tears sting and how horrible the hallow ache feels. I forgot what it felt like to dread going to bed knowing I will wake up to face the next day. I forgot what it felt like to try to do anything to keep yourself busy in an attempt to quite your mind. I forgot what it felt like to sit at the computer and type through tears.

Sometimes, despite every effort a day is simply bad. It might not actually be a bad day, but the feelings and memories that are trapped in the confines of the 24 hours is inescapable. February 11 it that for me. I wanted to face the day with confidence and strength, but instead I woke up tired, unmotivated and off balance.

Everything reminded me of pain long since dulled, yet unfortunately not completely gone. I reminded myself that each year the dread will be less, and hopefully in a few more the day will pass unnoticed. Next year the tears will come slower, the ache will be fainter and sleep will come easier. I am forever thankful that time is on my side bringing healing and strength.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Pause… unpause.

My pause in posting started as a mini experiment to see how I would handle stress and emotion without this place to filter them through. Then things got a bit crazy with my family and I was out of the habit of writing… I have been trying to figure out the best way to break back into the habit of writing, I honestly doubt I will go back to posting every day, but I am hoping for a few times a month.

At first, I must admit, my little experiment proved to be difficult. Things in my head spiraled more than I expected. There were moments I was not sure I was ready to stop using this space for any period of time, but in the end I think it was good decision. It helped me to see how much I really have grown and gave me a chance to explore some new ways to spend my time.

I know I have far to go. The ache still comes back, usually just for a moment, but long enough to be recognized. I wish conversations of the past would stop running through my head and fade away. Thankfully all these negative moments are few and fleeting. Someday, I still hope they will truly disappear.

As I write this I am on the eve of a dreaded day. I am scared to fall asleep, because I know when I wake up it will be tomorrow. This two-year “almost anniversary” came so much faster than expected. I wonder how many years it will be before I no longer dread February. Although tomorrow will not be my most favorite of days, I know that taking it one step at a time and facing each wave of emotion head on will get me though alright.

Tomorrow might be difficult, but I have survived much worse than anything the day could throw at me. So here’s to hoping to a good nights sleep and facing the day strong.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

The trap.

Last night I had a difficult time sleeping as I gave myself an unnecessary pity party. Most of the time I do an alright job of being content with my life. Many things are not ideal, but there is no reason for that get me down. We all live on a different timetable. Healing, recovering, moving on is an individual experience. Comparing to others is a dangerous road to walk down, but thanks to social media is all too easy.

We are all forever a work in progress. Learning from our mistakes, growing and becoming better versions of ourselves. Books, shows and movies make us feel like change should happen overnight. The reality is slow, but worth it. There are so many things I now know about myself that are important. Two important things I learned is that when trial sets in I can make it through, and writing is the best form of therapy. Seeing all the twisting emotions written down helps untangle the mess, come to terms with the outcome and makes me stronger and wiser.

Sleepless pity parties are have become more and more rare, but each time I fall into the trap it shows me I still have more to learn in this endless lesson and many messes to untangle. Thankfully I also have endless support and so many words available to me.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Good moods.

Today at work everyone was in oddly good moods, the atmosphere felt more like the Friday before a long weekend than a Wednesday. It made for a quick, happy, productive day. I wish I knew what triggered our positive attitudes, it would be nice to apply it on demand when days are frustrating and difficult.

For my part, I think I enjoyed the stillness of the past few days. I have been able to get things done without feeling rushed, and am even a head on a few things. My only hope is that the next two days are as enjoyable as the last few. I think every office could use more happy days, instead of feeling stress and pressure surrounding you.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Little reminders.

Is it weird I get excited when the first of the month is on a Monday. It always seems like the days makes more sense. Each Sunday is a multiple of seven, and there seems to be a different rhythm to the weeks. It really is the simple things that seem to end up making the biggest difference to the way we perceive the world around us. Unfortunately, that seems to be a fact too quickly forgotten in the busyness of days. Lucky for us there are always little reminders if we are willing to take a second to see them.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Foreshadowing.

I hope this weekend foreshadows the coming week, if not longer. More or less things went oddly smooth the past few days. I got a few things done before I could be behind, and caught up on a few others I was slacking on. It would be nice to end a week feeling like I was on top, instead of struggling to stay afloat.

Things are always what you make it and I am doing my best to go into the new week with a positive attitude and hope of a productive, peaceful week. Now I just need to make it happen.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Well rested.

Yesterday I did something that I have wanted to do many days in the past, but never did. I came home from work and felt so tired I simply went to bed. By six, I was asleep. There were a lot of things I should have done. Dishes, cleaned, finished this or that, but I decided sleep was the priority. I woke up a little after midnight, but fell back asleep after a bit. It was nice to get so much restful sleep for once. When it was finally morning I did not have to drag myself out of bed like usual. I got up, made myself pancakes and got ready for the day.

After my well rested night I am left wondering if it was recovery from the week I had, or in preparation for the one coming. I guess only time will tell.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.

Better than today.

If I could have given up on the day this morning I would have. Within an hour of getting up it felt like things went sideways and it took most of the day for me to feel caught up with myself. I know there will always be days like this, but they always blind side me making me feel miserable. Throughout the day I did my best to stay positive and get lost in what needed to be done, instead of being absorbed by what was out of my control.

Tomorrow is a new day, and the last one of the week. Hopefully it will prove to be better than today.

Tomorrow will be a little bit easier and I will become a stronger me everyday.