Handwriting happiness
HOW DAILY WRITING PRACTICE CAN CHANGE YOUR WORLD
TITLE
The benefits of writing by hand are available to anyone who is willing to pick up a pen and put it to paper. Studies have shown that the daily act of writing by hand has significant positive impact on our learning, focus, connection, creativity and health.
Wondering how to add more handwriting to your life? Here are a few of our favourite exercises that will help you discover the pleasure and emotional rewards of handwriting.
STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Studies have found that the simple practice of pouring your heart out on paper can lead to physical and mental health improvement, clearer thoughts, lower stress and an even stronger immune system.
HOW TO:
Choose a quiet place, take a few deep breaths and dump all your thoughts onto paper for 15 to 30 minutes. Don’t worry if your handwriting is legible. Do not judge the “meaning” of the words. Simply let your mind go wild and let your spirit soar. When you are done, take another big breath and notice how much lighter your mind and body feels.
"When you are done, take another big
breath and notice how much lighter
your mind and body feels."
MASTER THE TO-DO LIST
Studies show that people who write down their tasks and goals are 33% more likely to achieve them. Writing them out by hand takes it up a notch by helping us retain information more effectively and engaging the brain to visualise a successfully completed task we begin to create that reality.
HOW TO:
Keep your to-do list manageable with no more than 5 items, putting the most important or difficult ones at the top. Remember to be as precise as possible - the more specific you are, the easier it is for your brain to start making it reality. After all, there are few things more rewarding than crossing a completed task off the masterfully composed to-do list.
SLOW DOWN
If sitting still and counting breaths is not for you, try handwriting. It is proven that it increases neural activity in sections of the brain, similar to meditation. Moreover, forming calligraphic shapes with ink on paper involves an element of drawing, which helps understand harmony and visual balance of letterforms or characters.
HOW TO:
Choose a quote, poem, song lyric or affirmation and savour every stroke as the pen dances on paper with your own rhythm. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, simply enjoy the process.
"By preserving them in handwritten
notes you can return to and re-live
these brief glimpses of beauty."
LOOK AROUND
Writing is a brilliant exercise that cultivates the ability to pay attention to and appreciate the unique parts of our everyday lives. By preserving them in handwritten notes you can return to and re-live these brief glimpses of beauty.
HOW TO:
Carry a notebook and, as you notice or think something that stirs any kind of emotion - funny, beautiful, surprising, delightful or sad – write down the date, time and the observation in one one sentence. When pieced together, these fleeting moments weave the fascinating poetic fabric of life.
CONNECT WITH OTHERS
Each one of us is gifted with a unique style of handwriting. While typed text can feel impersonal, a handwritten note or letter is charged with the emotion, energy and time of the writer. Handwritten letters are not just a romantic pastime tinged with nostalgia. It’s a unique way to form a meaningful connection with another human.
HOW TO:
Take time to compose a letter to a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while or surprise your partner or flatmate with a handwritten positive note. You will immediately feel the benefits of handwriting, prepared to share your energy with others.
If you need more inspiration, be sure to check out the writing habits of the Montblanc Family and Friends by following #InspireWriting on our Instagram page here.
