7 Compelling Reasons You Should Have a Pen Pal

Recently inspired by the final installment of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I decided to write a post about the 7 Compelling Reasons You Should Have a Pen Pal. (If you haven’t seen the “To All the Boys” Netflix movie series, then I highly recommend.) Letter writing is an art that is beneficial to you for so many reasons. This week I encourage you to give it a try. Choose someone you love and write them a spontaneous letter. I promise it will be a blessing not only to them, but to you. Read below to learn more.

1. Having a Pen Pal Promotes Patience & Delayed Gratification

In a time when we can get everything by the click of a button, choosing to pen a hand written letter might seem tedious, but that’s just the point. The time it takes to write, prepare, send a letter and then wait for a response promotes a deeper sense of patience as well as delayed gratification. Patience required discipline and discipline brings stability and structure into your life. According to Elite daily, “Discipline helps to train a person’s mind and character, building a sense of self-control and the practice of obedience.”

Developing your character is reason enough to write a letter, but let’s look at another.

2. Having a Pen Pal Helps Expand Creativity

Writing a letter by hand is becoming a lost art form. To structure a proper letter is an act of creativity in itself, much like writing a story. You can also make writing more innovative by making your own card, drawing pictures to explain your writing or using a wax seal to make your letter stand out. Letter writing does not have to be boring.

3. Having a Pen Pal Builds a Deeper Connection

There’s something personal about writing a letter. You can say things you would not ordinarily say in person or even in a text. Writing takes time, effort and thought. That’s why having a pen pall builds deeper connection. Seeing someone’s handwriting on a page, the card or paper they chose to write on… it reveals their character. Making a good friend or family member your pen pal can help build a richer relationship.

4. Having a Pen Pal Means Getting Fun Mail

Is anyone else getting tired of receiving bills and junk mail? Every time I go to the mailbox I end up throwing out most of what’s inside and wishing I could toss the rest. It’s refreshing to get a letter or card from someone I love, especially when it is unexpected. Having a pen pal means you get to receive fun mail!

5. Having a Pen Pal Helps Form Good Habits

Another reason why you should have a pen pal is to form good habits. Being a pen pal means being consistent. You don’t want to be that friend that never responds. If so, then you aren’t a very good pen pal. Giving yourself some accountability and a set task to complete each week is good for you. People need someone to count on. Be that person for someone else.

6. Having a Pen Pal Can Expand Your Horizons

The fun thing about pen pals is that they can be anywhere in the world! Expand your horizons by choosing a pen pal in another state or another country entirely. They can help teach you about their culture and you can teach them about your own. Learning about another culture is a benefit, because it gets you outside your comfort zone, minimizes stereotypes and prevents division.

7. Having a Pen Pal Reinforces Writing Skills

The final of 7 Compelling Reasons You Should Have a Pen Pal is to reinforce your writing skills. We are in an age of technology in which putting a pen to paper is becoming more and more irrelevant. We keep notes in our phones and write emails or texts instead of exchanging letters. Having a friend to write to can help reinforce writing skills and build better penmanship. Mine is getting pretty sloppy to be honest. How about yours?

Thank you for reading 7 Compelling Reasons You Should Have a Pen Pal. For more hygge living content, check out the blog posts below:

7 Unique Hygge Hobby Ideas for the New Year
10 Ways to Simplify Your Life
14 Day Beginners Guide to Hygge Living
10 Reasons You Should Make Time For a Hobby

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Love always,