Jotted - Lines

Carolyn Cochrane, Owner/Creator of Jotted - Lines.

So many of us struggle to write in a card when we want to let someone know that we’re thinking of them. Maybe we want to mark an occasion, soothe a sadness, congratulate, encourage etc. Because I am someone who talks a lot, this isn’t a problem for me. When I write to people, I just have a one way conversation. However, as easy as it is for me, I do know that the struggle to write in a card is REAL.

I used to stand in Hallmark for hours reading as many greeting cards as I could - searching for the perfect card for the occasion. When we find the card that is so spot on, it’s like finding buried treasure! Sometimes we buy greeting cards to sort of mask the fact that we don’t really know what to say or because we need someone to say it for us. A card could help set the tone or keep our thoughts in line. Greeting cards are prompts for us to use when we want to let someone know we’re thinking of them.

For Thank You Card Thursdays, I carry around my Thoughtful Pinch case filled with thank you cards, all occasion cards, my Thoughtful Pinch Stationery, my Kate Spade pencil case, stamps, address labels, white out and washi tape. I posted this photo on Instagram Story because on this particular day, I purposely brought two packs of Jotted - Lines and teased that my next topic was in this picture somewhere.

The prompts that I want to share with you today are LITERALLY incomplete one liners. Sometimes reaching out to someone is easy peasy and sometimes it’s the toughest thing in the world to do. For both occasions, Jotted - Lines is here for you! I believe that if we all had a stack of Jotted - Lines cards near by, the frustrating part of communicating (How do I start? What should I say?) is pretty much eliminated because an opening - a gateway - is being provided.

We all crave connection. As humans, we are naturally wired for it. But for most, writing down words that would organically express ourselves doesn’t come naturally. Reaching out to someone sometimes gets delayed, or sadly, most of the time, it doesn’t even happen at all because some of us just don’t know what to say. That is why having something as convenient as a pack of Jotted - Lines cards nearby is like a tool in our toolbox that we can use to help us show our thoughtfulness when we are trying to connect with others.

Just a sneak peek at two prompts from two different packs of cards: “I have you to thank for getting me to try…” and “Because of you I learned…”

When I met Carolyn Cochrane, the owner and genius behind Jotted - Lines cards, I knew that I would be seeing much more of her in the future. Besides the fact that she came bearing gifts, I heard her story and I loved her ever since (her full story is here ). What drew me to her was that many years ago when her oldest was in Kindergarten, she had a goal to write notes everyday to put in her daughter’s homemade lunches. She shared that although the idea seemed simple and basic at first, it became hard for her to keep it up after awhile. She wouldn’t give up. Instead, she came up with a plan to keep the promise that she had made - even though the promise was only to herself. This former English teacher and writer shared this vulnerability; something that should be so natural for her wasn’t easy. I found connection in that. We all have struggles - when we share them, doors open for those of us needing to hear that we’re not alone.

Carolyn and Betsy Conway of Betsyconway.com at my Thoughtful Pinch App on July 31, 2019.

Here are more prompts. They will definitely get the juices flowing! Now I’m sharing more than I should with you but just promise me to buy some packs and it will all be good.

As I said, I don’t usually have issues when I write to someone but with these Jotted - Lines cards, the only problem that I have is that they make me want to write to so many people that I am going to need to buy more cards! I highly recommend ordering some as a thoughtful pinch for yourself AND as a gift for someone who you’d love to hear from more often. Consider a 12-pack of these cards, a nice pen and 12 Forever stamps as a nice pinch for someone who could use some prompts to show others their thoughtfulness. I love Carolyn’s tag line - “We provide the starting line; your words take it to the finish.” There is no disputing that written words connect people and since we all crave connection, Jotted - Lines is here to foster that need. Thank you Carolyn!

Pinches,

Barb