When You Think of Someone, Let Them Know

I recently stepped back from social media. Here’s some of what filled the space instead. It turns out it requires stamps.

Quietly Logging Off

I’ve been stepping away from social media in the past year. Not dramatically – no farewell post announcing my departure. I just started reaching for it less. (I check in sometimes when I think of someone or when I get a message.)

Here’s what I noticed: the less I scrolled, the more I wanted to actually connect with people. I can ♥️ a hundred posts in a minute and still go months without really talking to someone I love. Liking a photo of someone’s vacation or garden is not the same as friendship, it can be a part of it, but it’s not enough. I think most of us know that by now; we just don’t always know what to do about it.

Towards a More Analog Life

My social media break has been a part of a larger move toward a more analog life. I’m not anti-technology or anti-electronics, I just wanted to add or re-introduce some slow habits, physical actions, and intentional engagements. It’s definitely a process, some of it has been successful, and some of it has been difficult, and I’m still working on it.

Part of that journey was a desire and purpose to write more cards and letters. We get so few personal things in the mail these days, when we do it feels special and significant. I find it interesting that businesses have started mimicking hand-written envelopes, cards, and letters in an effort to get us to open junk mail! I love getting REAL cards and letters, so I set out to bring that joy to others. Here’s some of what I’ve learned.

First: Waste Your Supplies

Before I get to the how, a word for my fellow craft-supply hoarders. I say this with love, because I am one of you. (I have more stickers than any one person reasonably needs.)

Stop saving your beautiful things for a special occasion. The special occasion is that you thought of someone.

I’m trying to learn this – with my stickers, with my fancy candles, with my dressy outfits, with my fun dishes and glasses.

The fancy paper is not getting more special sitting in the drawer. Use the good stickers on an everyday envelope. That’s what they’re for. The supply is not the point. The person is the point.

A meme I recently saw inspires me in this…”Until further notice, Celebrate Everything!”

My Process (Such as It Is)

1. One List, Once a Month

I keep a running list of birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions for friends and family. Once a month I look at the month ahead and get the cards ready. It takes fifteen minutes with a cup of tea, and nobody’s birthday gets a belated text instead of a card. Try to keep address information current.

Keeping track of the gifts you receive, someone’s thoughtful words or actions is also important. It helps us to stay thankful. I haven’t always been great with Thank You cards, but I’m working on it – I have a friend who is amazing with Thank You cards, and he inspires me. Gratitude speaks volumes!

2. When You Think of Someone, Let Them Know

This is the rule I’ve been trying to live by, and honestly, it’s the whole point. When someone crosses my mind, I try to let them know.

I still text. I still send memes, Facebook messages, Instagram shares, WhatsApp pings. But now I also try to send something physical. A text says “hi.” A card says “I thought of you, and then I did something about it.”

3. Try to Anticipate and Remove Barriers

More cards are stopped by “do we even have stamps?” than by any real obstacle. So I removed the obstacles:

Cards and stickers live where I can see them, not in a bin of miscellaneous craft supplies where good intentions go to be forgotten. I keep a supply on hand – Birthday cards, Thank you cards, Blank cards, and several other categories.
Stamps are always on hand. Domestic and global. No “I’ll mail it after my next post office trip” – we know how that goes. Besides, the post office’s specialty stamps are genuinely lovely, and add a fun touch to a card or letter.
Put the time in the calendar. Schedule a monthly Creator Date for yourself. Set the time aside, gather your supplies, listen to some music or a book, have a favorite show playing in the background, and create some magic for someone else that will arrive in their postbox.
Make a Kit. I have a tote box with a handle that I can get quite a few supplies in. I keep many of my card supplies in there so that I can take my creativity on the road, to the coffee shop, or just to the living room. I don’t want my ability to write letters and cards to be tied to one place.

4. Make it Theirs

Personalize. Mention the thing only the two of you know about. Reference their last letter.

And say the big things: I love you. I miss you. I appreciate you – and here’s why. We tend to save those words for big moments, but they don’t need a special occasion any more than your fancy stickers do.

Sometimes deep words and emotions feel too big for everyday use, but they’re exactly what makes an ordinary day worth marking. Don’t hold those words back for someday, because someday isn’t promised to any of us – a card can be read today.

At the same time, not every card has to be deep and meaningful – a private joke, a quick note – they can make any day special.

5. Physical Memes

This is my favorite recent experiment. I keep a running list of funny, meaningful, and inspiring sayings – basically memes, but in text form. When I send a card, I browse the list, and if a saying makes me think of someone, I make them a physical meme to tuck inside. I also make these ahead of time so I have a supply on hand. It’s a fun activity to keep my hands busy, it uses up my craft supplies, and I love the challenge.

I use stickers, embellishments, fancy paper, and nice markers. Some become stickers (double-sided adhesive sheets), some become magnets (adhesive, magnetic sheets), most just ride along in the card. Sometimes they turn into whole cards and postcards of their own. When I see a saying I want to keep, I add it to my list. It’s crafting with a delivery address, and I love it.

6. Thrift-Store Archaeology

Along with new cards, I dig through the thrift store card shelves. Some finds are genuinely lovely. And some are gloriously cheesy and old-fashioned, and those are perfect for modifications. Add a marker flourish here, a sticker there, some googly eyes, a saying over the top – and a 1987 birthday card gets a whole second life.

Some of my favorite recent finds were several sets of cards from the old Current catalog that I am enjoying re-imagining.

7. The Correspondence Journal

I keep a journal of every card I send and every card I receive. Partly to stay organized, partly because I love any excuse to buy another journal! It’s become a written record of who I’ve stayed connected to, and on the days when I feel disconnected, flipping through those pages reminds me of my connectedness, and inspires me to reach out to others.

What Can You Send in an Envelope? More Than You Think

The short version of the postal rules for the United States. (USPS, as of late 2026 – always double-check usps.com before you get creative):

One Forever stamp ($0.82) covers a standard, rectangular, flexible envelope under 1 ounce – at least 3-1/2 x 5 inches, no more than 6-1/8 x 11-1/2 inches, no thicker than 1/4 inch.
Each additional ounce is $0.29, and letters top out at 3.5 oz.
The lumpy-envelope rule: rigid, square, vertical, clasped, or bumpy envelopes get hand-canceled and charged extra – about $1.31 even under an ounce. In practice: if it’s bumpy, add a stamp. Or nest your decorated envelope inside a plain outer one.
Ask a retail associate to hand-cancel a fancy envelope. It’s free, and it looks wonderful.
Mailing internationally, or tucking in seeds or snacks? Check the destination rules first. The agricultural restrictions are real.

And what goes inside? Here’s my running list:

Cozy Treats

A tea bag – “a cup of tea on me” – or a hot cocoa packet or a hot cider packet
Candies (soft ones travel best)
A favorite recipe, handwritten
A stick of chewing gum

From the Garden

A pressed flower or leaf
A seed packet – “plant these and think of me”
A feather (the pretty kind)

Photos and Keepsakes

A photo you’ve been meaning to share, or a mini print
A ticket stub from somewhere you’ve been
A map of your town or a place you love or somewhere you share a memory
A fortune from a fortune cookie
Vintage postcards or pretty old stamps
Magazine or newspaper clippings

Written and Creative

Song lyrics that inspire you
A quote that made you think of them
A poem you love, or one you attempted yourself
A playlist, written out: “Five songs I’ve had on repeat”
A movie, show or song you think they’d love, and why
A mini journal with a note on the first page
Fun notepaper or post-it notes
A scripture or affirmation card
A tiny questionnaire, so they have something to answer in their reply
A physical meme – see above

Fun and Games

A joke on a slip of paper – bad jokes travel beautifully
A tic-tac-toe card (you go first)
A word search or mini crossword
A friendship coupon – “this entitles you to one coffee date”
A coloring page or mandala
Confetti. Use with love and with caution.
Origami – a folded crane or heart
A message in a secret code that you create

Crafty and Useful

Stickers
Washi tape samples
A bookmark – bonus points for a book recommendation on the back
Decorative paper clips or gift tags
A tiny envelope with a hidden message inside
Paper doilies
Ribbon or twine wrapped around the letter
A small magnet
An Artist Trading Card that you decorate
Decorate some mismatched playing cards

Little Extras

A friendship bracelet
A bandaid in a fun pattern – “for life’s little ouches”
Lip balm or cosmetic samples
Earrings or small jewelry (fair warning: this makes the envelope lumpy – add extra postage)
A sheet-style face mask

What to Write About (When Your Pen Hovers)

In an age when our social media posts are meant to tell others what’s happening in our lives, and a text is quick and convenient, a blank page or card can feel odd and we wonder, “what do I even say?”

Here’s the secret – no one needs your news to be impressive. They want you. Here’s some ideas:

Everyday Life

Fun things you did this month
What you can see out your window right now
The weather, honestly – and what that particular afternoon made you think about
The first sign of the new season you noticed – in the garden, the grocery store, the light
A small moment from your week, told slowly: the light, the sounds, who was there
Pet updates (they really do want to hear about the cat)
Your current obsession
What your town is like, or your favorite local spot

Sharing and Recommending

A book, show, or movie recommendation
A recipe you’re cooking on repeat, and who first made it for you
A song you’ve had on repeat
Trips you’ve taken, or dream of taking

Memory and Meaning

A favorite memory the two of you share – include the details you still remember
The exact moment you were reminded of them this month: a song, a smell, a street you walked past
A memory from your school days – best or worst
A thank-you for something they did years ago that you never properly acknowledged
Your biggest dream, written down at last
What you were like at their age

Questions and Games

The one question you’ve been meaning to text but never did – in writing, it lands differently
“Never have I ever…”
A six-word memoir of your year so far
What’s the coziest spot in your home?
What did you do for fun as a kid, before screens?
A family tradition you love (or love to laugh at)

I’m sure you can come up with lots of other ideas too. When you get an idea – make a note of it in your Correspondence Journal.

One Card Is Enough to Start

You don’t need a system, a planner, or a stash of stickers to begin. You need one card, one address, and five minutes. The birthday list can come later. The journal can come later.

The card goes out today.

I’d love to hear if you have thoughts about slowing down, tips for cultivating an analog life, and for fun postal ideas. And if this post made you think of someone, you know what to do: let them know.

Lamppostings

Finding and creating adventures in everyday life.