Four Tips for Writing a Meaningful Note
Even though I own a gift business, my personal love languages are words of affirmation and quality time. You're planning to send me a thoughtfully written card? I'll probably keep it for 10+ years and read it over and over. IT WILL BE CHERISHED!
However, being a wordsmith isn't always easy; it's a learned skill (just like making the perfect pancake. But that's for another day.)
If your best gal loves words of affirmation too, here are four tips and tricks for showing her you care!
- Write with Heart: The best writing comes from a place of love. Before you even write, picture the person. Recall a great memory you had with them. Reeeeally picture it. Feel the good vibes from that, and write from that place.
- Be specific: Telling someone that they’re awesome, amazing, or your best friend is fine, but being specific as to *why* that is true is more meaningful. Name one or two instances where they really made you feel known. Was it a little preference or fact they remembered about you? Was it sitting with you in silence when you just needed someone there after that asshole hurt you? Was it that they listened and never inserted their opinion when you needed to vent for the 49th time about your incompetent coworker? Get specific and tell them.
- The “Only You” Rule: If the next sentence you’re about to write could be said to someone else, scrap it. “You’re the best!!” Would you write that to her and 10 other people? Yea? Word it differently. It’s better to be brief and genuine then to be long-winded and generic.
- Humor: Recall a hilarious memory or inside joke. If someone else picked up the card, let them be confused by the message inside.
Pro tip: The Notes app is your asset. Type your note first. Better yet, speech-to-text that sucker. Reread it. See what sounds plain Jane + generic, revise, and THEN copy the note from what you typed.
Bookmark this page for later when you need to write a meaningful note!
xo, Barb