Letter Writing Strategy (April, 2021)

 Strategy of the Month

      Letters

The art of letter writing was once a primary means of communication. Letters, (sent or unsent), allow us to put our thoughts and feelings onto paper as if we are speaking to someone. Letters give us a voice. In letters, we can express the entire range of our emotional response, from gratitude to resentment and beyond. Often letters are a way of dealing with “unfinished” business.  John Evans in an article published in the March 24, 2014 edition of

Psychology Today suggests various motivations that lend themselves to letter writing that include but are not limited to offering condolences, asking forgiveness, or expressing gratitude.

Letters that you intend to send will hopefully have a positive intent and a measured tone. If you have any hesitancy in sending a letter with strong emotional content, let it sit for a few days. Revisit the letter asking yourself, “How would I feel it I received this letter?”

Unsent letters allow us an uncensored one-way conversation with someone. You can even write a letter to someone who is no longer present in our life. Begin by writing whatever you want to say. You can write more than one draft of a letter. With each draft, your thoughts may further clarify. You can also experiment with writing letters of various lengths about the same issue.

     Priming the pump

Who would appreciate receiving a letter from you? What do you hope the tone and content of it would be?

Who would you appreciate receiving a letter from?  What do you hope the tone and content of the letter might be?

Write one or more of the letters reflecting the tone and content of your choice.

Be sure to take a moment after writing to ask yourself,

• “What am I noticing about the content of what I have written?”
• “What am I noticing about how I felt about the writing?”