Passing notes.

Remember when your parents used to make you hand-write thank-you notes? There was a good reason for that—other than the fact that text messaging and email didn’t exist. They knew it would make Nana Evelyn and all your other friends and relatives feel good.

If everyone loves getting letters, how come so few people write them these days? Does it really take that much longer than email? According to Wholefamily.com, letter writing can help increase your sense of well-being. Write some thoughts on paper and mail them to someone you care about. Just think of the smile at the other end.

For added health benefits, use a letter to get some negative feelings off your chest—constructively, that is. Letting it all out has been shown to strengthen your immune system and reduce symptoms of depression. So spill it.