Write Whenever, Wherever
(Yes, the title is a Shakira reference and no, I am not sorry. Some things are just too good to pass up. And honestly what are the chances that you’ll now forget this tip? )
So you’ve got a card. Maybe you bought it weeks ago with the best of intentions, it’s been sitting on your desk ever since, quietly judging you every time you walk past. Sound familiar? No? Just me? Okay then.
The thing is, most people put off writing cards because they’re waiting for the right moment. The moment when they have enough time, enough quiet, enough inspiration, and ideally a freshly brewed cup of something warm (ahum coffee) within arm’s reach. And look, if that moment comes… wonderful! Enjoy it. But if you’re waiting for all those things to align at the same time, you might be waiting a while. I’m still waiting, the wait started in 2018…
Because here’s the thing: people are different.
Some people genuinely love a bit of quiet time to write. A comfy chair, a hot cup of coffee (or tea, FINE, I’ll allow it), no distractions, just them, their thoughts, and maybe a dog snoring nearby. That’s a lovely way to do it. It works brilliantly, and if that’s you, keep doing exactly that.
And then there are the rest of us. The ones who are so stretched for time that the dentist waiting room starts to look like a golden opportunity. Suddenly that 20-minute wait isn’t wasted time, it’s a writing session. You’ve got a pen in your bag, the card has been in there since Tuesday, and honestly the background noise of a dental practice gives you a certain write now or never kind of energy. Surprisingly effective.
And between those two extremes? There’s everyone else. The kitchen table crowd. The lunch break writers. The people who scribble something down on public transport and call it a day. All of them valid. All of them getting their cards written and sent while the perfectionists are still waiting for the ideal circumstances. Trust me the person you have in mind will benefit way more from a card that might be written in the weirdest of places, than from a card that never reaches them, and where the contents only exist in your brain.
A little bonus tip hiding inside this tip:
Sometimes inspiration hits at the most inconvenient moments. You’re in the middle of the supermarket, or just about to fall asleep, and suddenly you know exactly what you want to write. Don’t trust your future self to remember it. Future you is tired and has a lot going on. Write it down immediately! In your notes app, in a voice memo, on whatever scrap of paper is nearby. Save the idea now, write the actual card later when you have the time and supplies in the same place at the same time (which, let’s be honest, is an achievement in itself).
So what’s the actual tip here?
Do whatever works for you. There is no perfect location, no perfect time of day, no perfect level of silence required. The only real requirement is that the card eventually gets written and sent. Everything else is just details.
Because at the end of the day, what matters isn’t where you were sitting or whether your coffee was still hot. What matters is that somewhere, someone opens their mailbox, finds your card, and smiles. And that smile? Absolutely worth it — no matter where or when you wrote it.
Now go find that card that’s been judging you from your desk. You know the one.
