When did you last send or receive #happymail? I don’t mean
Birthday, anniversary, sympathy cards. I mean ‘Just because…’ cards / letters
or random items someone just HAD to send you because they saw it and thought of
you. With ‘Thinking of You’ week looming (21st to 26th September
2015) what better time to consider who you could surprise with some #happymail?
Since the dawn of email, I am sure we will mostly agree that
#happymail is a rare occurrence, well it certaintly was for me until recently.
I not only receive but also send #happymail now and have for the last month or
so. Now I want to spread the word on the incredible positive effect this
activity can bring to your life and that of your lucky recipients.
As many of you reading this may know, I have battled with
depression since about 16. Maybe some of you know me, but don’t know that!
Well, consider this my ‘coming out’ blog. After losing yet another job I loved
due to my depression earlier this year, I decided to begin a ‘work from home’
venture by becoming a Phoenix Trader – www.facebook.com/thinkcardsthinkclarke
- I have always loved stationery and sending cards so this was a business I could
easily get excited about.
While brainstorming ways to get my new business venture
noticed, I Googled for stationery bloggers. I sent them packs for review on
their blogs / YouTube / social media. This in turn introduced me to a whole new
world! From this act, I discovered the ‘Planner
World’, that PenPalling was still VERY much a ‘thing’ and even the craze of
Pocket Letters.
Needless to say my focus, my passion and energy got diverted
to becoming engrossed in these new worlds. I bought my first planner – a ban.do
flora bunda, I watched the back catalogue of Mrs Brimbles You Tube videos, I
learnt what washi tape was and soon started my very own collection, I bought
stickers for my planner, I got Project
Life cards. My stationery obsession took to new heights. It made me revisit the
sheer joy and happiness I had before each term at school, when my dear Mum
would take me to WHSmith for a stock up on pretty stationery. I recalled memories
of making my own paper back in the day. I found a powerful and REAL sense of
happiness that I had not felt for a long time.
This then somehow, as these internet finds do, moved to
discovering Pen Palling was still a ‘done’ thing. So I started Pen Palling with
people all over the world. Fascinating. Then I discovered Pocket Letters and
started making and swapping those too. My creativity and love for all things
stationery were in their element. But my new business took a bit of a back
seat. My new discoveries were where my mind and energy were wishing to focus.
This leads me to think that starting Phoenix was just a stepping stone in this
journey to find my true purpose. Only time will tell.
Without a traditional job to give me routine to my days, my depression,
hermit like tendencies and natural nocturnal sleep pattern, inevitably returned.
In the last few months I’ve visited some of the darkest places in my mind.
Places I thought I had long since ‘closed’ and ‘dealt’ with. But I guess not. And
that’s ok. Now I am feeling better, I know I had to visit those places to grow.
Pen Palling and all the new discoveries I mention above have
given me a new perspective on life. Not to mention the AMAZING people I have
met through Facebook groups and of course my new Pen Pals – I wish they all
knew how much they have helped put a smile back on this chicks face. I feel I am
on the right course, I am not fully sure where this journey is going, but I know
for SURE in my heart, I am following my true purpose and I plan to enjoy the
journey to wherever this is going!
Back to my aim of this little ditty – to spread the word
that #happymail could well be a very powerful tool in coping with a depressive
mind. ‘Thinking of You’ week, as mentioned at the top of this blog, is a perfect
time to take some time to indulge in some #happymail. Do you know anyone going
through a rough time right now? Does someone spring to mind while reading this?
Chose a card, grab a sheet of paper, pick up a pen and write from the heart.
Emails, txts even phone calls are wonderful modern ways to keep in touch BUT
#happymail holds a special magic that is unprecedented. It doesn’t have to be
expensive, it doesn’t have to take a lot of your time, but the smile you will
induce when they receive it is priceless.
Inspiration for writing to someone with depression, check
this letter Stephen Fry wrote to a fan - http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/it-will-be-sunny-one-day.html?m=1
For tips on starting to Pen Pal - http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.co.uk/p/tips-to-write-letters.html?m=1
Further reading and research on the health benefits of hand
written letters - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/11/benefits-of-writing-letters-and-postcards_n_6425540.html
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy sending and receiving
#happymail for yourself
