6 ways to write a love letter

Roses are red
Violets are blue...

Sometimes even just the idea of writing someone a love letter to tell them how you feel is enough to make you avoid it. Clenched stomach anyone? Not to mention sitting down to a blank piece of paper... What do you say? Where do you start?

But don’t worry. This week on the blog, we’ve got your back (as always) with easy steps, prompts, and inspiration whether you’re sending a love letter to your bestie, your kid’s teacher, your sweetheart, or a parent.

And with so many of us resisting or stressing about politics or our family's or community's politics, it can be easy to forget the daily good happening in the world. But taking stock of the love in your life will help keep your tank full too.

How To Write a Love Letter

Tips

1. Start with a draft that no one else will see. It’s ok to scribble and to make mistakes.
   We've got strategies and prompts below to get your inner-Shakespeare flowing.
2. Pick pretty stationery. Or, don’t. If pretty stationery is super intimidating or becomes an excuse to not write, write on the back of a piece of junk mail. In the end, it doesn’t matter how it looks, only how it makes them feel.
3. Write like yourself. It’s too much pressure to try to write like “what a love letter should sound like.” And would your loved one recognize you in the words anyway? It’s 2017 after all, not 1817. Better if it sounds like it’s coming out of your mouth and headed straight for their heart.
4. Set the mood if you’re feel stuck. Bust out a candle, make sure you've got a photo of your Sweetie nearby. We also made a Spotify playlist of some of our favorite love songs that might help.
5. Think about what they would want to hear, not what you would want to hear. Get inside their head and consider what would delight them and make them swoon.
   For example, while maybe I want to write a love letter to my husbie about how his doing the dishes is my favorite thing in the world because then I don't have to do as many, he would probably rather hear about how when he does the dishes I know that he is thinking of me and taking care of our family and being generous and thoughtful with his time.
6. Do the thing that most ensures you'll actually get it to them. If you never have stamps around, send an email, hand deliver it in person, or leave it somewhere they'll find it. If they're really bad about reading email, send a letter, a Facebook message, or even a string of 6 texts will do. ;) Remove the obstacles. Perfection is the enemy of done.

I picked out a card for Mr. La Vie en Orange at Petals and Postings in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They have a super fun selection of Valentines and happy stationery! Maybe there's an awesome stationery shop in your town too?

Feeling sufficiently pep talked? You can do this! And writing it will help you feel closer to your Sweetie, and their receiving it will help them feel closer to you.

Here are a few strategies to get your wheels turning.

Strategies

1. Think about all you value, appreciate, and admire about the person you’re writing to.
   How do they make your life better?
   What would life be like without them?
   What are their unique quirks that fill you with joy?
   Pick one, or four, or everything and write.
2. Write a list.
   One of my bestie’s favorite cards from me was a long list of the silliest and most wonderful things I love about her. Her love for Jennifer Garner made the list 3 times, so striking is her fealty. But seriously. She put the card in her wallet to take everywhere she goes.
3. Think about your loved one chronologically – the past: when you met, when you fell in love; the present: all that rocks your socks off about them day-to-day; the future: what you look forward to with them.
4. Or, start with a prompt! There are a bunch below! Just for you! And Pinterest has lots of inspiration, but do not, I repeat, do not get sucked in! Find a prompt, get out, and start writing!

Love Letter Prompts

1. Describe your favorite day together
2. Why are you proud of them?
3. How have they impacted your life for the better?
4. How have they made you a better person?
5. What’s the weird, quirky thing that your partner does that just makes you bubble over in warm fuzzies? Like it’s so quintessentially them that you can't imagine it not being in your life...
6. What is their greatest strength?
7. What is your favorite thing to do together? Why?
8. What do they do for you that is so thoughtful; that you appreciate most?
9. Draw a picture of the two of you
10. What would the perfect day together be like?
11. What’s your dream for them?
12. What's your dream for life together?
13. When did you know you were in love?

Looking for writing prompts that are more PG-13 rated? Head here for some scandalous prompts from one of my favorite authors.

Now, go! Pick one person you love, and write a letter that will fill them with warm fuzzies.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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