Obviously here at Ink Drops HQ we’re big fans of all things handwritten, and love to pen letters to our friends & loved ones as an alternative to email, text and phone calls.

But it’s rare that I sit down and write a letter to myself. It’s something that I have done it once or twice.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to go to Elizabeth Gilbert’s live Big Magic workshop in London, with two lovely friends. None of us was quite sure what to expect, but we’d been told to bring paper and pen, and that no electronics would be allowed in the room. Which sounded promising!

Energy and expectation

So we walked in and found our seats among 1000 strangers. There was a palpable sense of expectation in the air. The energy in the room was incredible.

And when Liz arrived on stage, she was as magical as she always is.

She guided us through writing six letters to ourselves – covering Courage, Enchantment, Persistence, Permission, Trust and Divinity. Such a simple exercise on the surface, and so incredibly powerful, as words so often are. The energy changed with each letter. And the thing that moved me most was how, though we were 1000 strangers, we all recognised each other. We shared each other’s fears, each other’s joys and each other’s struggles. We are all more alike than we know.

I found a multitude of things within myself that I had suspected but not acknowledged. It was perfect timing as I have just handed in my notice at the day job, to focus on Ink Drops, photography and mermaiding full time. Eek!

A place to listen to yourself

I’m not even quite sure what the word is for the way I’m feeling. But I do know that this blog felt like the best place to talk about the power of words, of letters, of the handwritten and of that space where you go to listen to yourself. It’s something I will be making time for more regularly in the months & years to come, as while busy is probably inevitable, quiet space is magical.

And we can always use more magic.

Have you ever written to yourself? Sat down and let your pen be the conduit to what you are really thinking and feeling? It is amazing what you can discover about yourself if you are willing to just listen and write, and not interrupt. It’s also harder than you might expect, but absolutely worth the effort. And it’s a great way to spend a bit of time on a bank holiday Monday…