5 Reasons Why Now is the Perfect Time to Put Pen to Paper
From Guest Contributor: Jayne Portnoy
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Enthusiast scribbler.
No. 2 pencil eraser chewer.
Avid letter drafter.
Blank page therapist.
But writer? No.
Which may seem odd, as the founder of the Pen2Paper Project. The whole idea for the Project was to reconnect our community through the simple art of letter writing.
My love affair with pushing a pencil across the page began when it did for most angst-ridden teenage girls with a sparkly little journal. I mostly completed those pages with drama-filled mood swings, and I ultimately abandoned them when life, travel and the career got too big.
Eventually social media became the place you shared your soul. Emotions turned into emojis, and puppies turned to politics. I had to bid it all adieu.
I returned to the simplicity of letter writing and telling those that I missed that I really missed them -- with long rambling sentences, doodles and consideration for each letter that hit the page.
And so the Pen2Paper Project was born out of a desire to reconnect with people organically through analog tools, daily prompts and real-time gatherings.
After 20+ years in the food and booze biz, the Pen2Paper Project was an analog extension of all things that I loved.So why write?
There’s a considerable bit of science behind the benefits of an active writing practice. While I don’t write daily, and only commit seven minutes to each session (or more if the mood permits), I come back to the page each time I need to lighten the load, untwist a knot or make myself laugh a little.
You can relate, right? Tireless hours of being ‘on’ hosting tastings or clients. Or perhaps post-shift when your body and mind just can’t dial down, and a shot is not the cure. You may just find that a good old fashioned No. 2 and some blank space can do the trick.
Here are five reasons why it’s worth trying:
Communicate with clarity.
Unlike talking, when you write you look for more sophisticated words and expressions to describe what you have in mind. This helps you build a structure that will allow you to express yourself better and communicate complex ideas in a much more effective way.
Reduce stress.
Ever heard the concept of ‘let that sh*t go’? Well, this is the same, but a little deeper. By capturing everything that comes to mind and releasing it to paper, you stimulate and heal the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the body function that tells your body to ‘rest and digest’ and therefore when you put pen to paper, not only does your brain have more room to process, utilize logic, implement honesty, and rationalize – your breathing, heart rate and organ functions simmer down. The physical and psychological benefits of positive emotional writing are well researched.
Improve productivity.
Writing activates the neurons in your brain and gets it ready to overcome the rest of the tasks (you can use it as a kind of warm-up at the beginning of the day). In addition, writing down your tasks improves your ability to carry them out by 42%!
Gain an awareness of your reality.
If you write down what you have in mind each day, what you expect to achieve and how you feel, you won’t need a psychologist to explain to you who you are. You will realize yourself.
Make better decisions.
Writing helps you clarify your thoughts. Clearer thinking, in turn, allows you to make better choices. Writing in your own words the information that you receive helps you to assimilate and consolidate knowledge that you may otherwise forget soon.
So there it is. Proof that writing is one more wellness tool for your toolkit. If you’re still convinced that you are ‘not good at it’ or can’t seem to find the time - then join us on Thursday March 21st at 8pm PST / 5p EST to take your turn at “pencil pushing” and I’ll show you just how easy it is.
We’ll take a toe dip into isolation. Did you ever imagine that our own homes would become a private deserted island? We didn't either, but we're putting pen to paper to sort it out and find some solace in the beauty of what washes up on our shores.
So bring your favorite empty bottle, a glass of something delicious, and let’s put Pen to Paper together. You can share a glass, meet some other wine folks, and stash that message in a bottle somewhere for a rainy day.
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Jayne Portnoy is a multi-hyphenated over-achiever, whose career has traversed across the hospitality landscape for more than 20 years. From the National Football League to Bloomin’ Brands Jayne now utilizes her depth of experience to coach, launch and grow brands and people. Jayne is the Founder of JP Consulting and The Pen2Paper Project. If she’s not teaching or practicing yoga, Jayne can be found enjoying the CA landscape or helping the homeless.
What We're Reading:
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic we are adding to the weekly reading and resources. Here's what has piqued our interest this week.
The Root of Emotional Imbalance, According to Your Organs – Sakara.com
The mind and the body are inseparable.
Can 10 Minutes of Meditation Make You More Creative? – HBR.org
Research shows that mindfulness meditation can have many positive effects on workplace outcomes, and 10 to twelve minutes are enough to boost creativity. Read how here.
Air Travel Is Going to Be Very Bad, for a Very Long Time – The Atlantic.com
Flying used to be unpleasant. But scarcity, low demand, and public-health risks could make it unbearable.
The Reason Zoom Calls Drain Your Energy – bbc.com
Video chat is helping us stay employed and connected. But what makes it so tiring - and how can we reduce ‘Zoom fatigue’?
Meet the Community!
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Dirk Coetzee, Winemaker, L’Avenir Estate, Stellenbosch (South Africa)
Years in the Industry:
12 years of winemaking experience, including vintages in Australia, California and France. I have been the head winemaker for more than ten years at the boutique, Stellenbosch Pinotage and Chenin Blanc specialist, L’Avenir Estate.
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
I grew up in the small village of Hoekville, in the Knysna Forest on South Africa’s Garden Coast. Exploring mountains, cycling and especially surfing has always been an important part of my life. With South Africa’s strict lockdown regulations, I haven’t been in the water for 41 days now and it’s something that I really miss.
The same applies to travelling, which is an important part of being in the wine industry. Meeting new people and seeing new places energises me and I cannot wait to get on a plane again!
In the larger scheme of things, I am, however incredibly fortunate to be able to walk around on L’Avenir Estate. The reality in South Africa is that there are millions of people that are confined in shacks, without knowing where their next meal will come from. The pressure of retaining jobs on farms is real. As the winemaker, making sure that L’Avenir’s farm worker community is nourished and healthy has become a key priority.
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
My daughter, Bea, has played an important role for me to maintain a long-term perspective. A silver lining of the lockdown is that I have been able to spend more time with her. My wife, Jana, is a geneticist and both of us have demanding, full-time jobs. Parenting has therefore been both a challenge and a blessing!
Basic activities like chopping wood (South Africans love a braai and using gas or charcoal is a sin!) and gardening have become therapeutic routines. I’ve also always had a deep appreciation for music, which has now become even more important.
New challenges associated with Covid-19, such as presenting virtual tastings, have been quite exciting. It’s just not the same as being present to do a tasting and we try to do things differently. It offers the opportunity to focus on the essence of L’Avenir – the vineyards. I have especially presented several virtual tastings in our heritage certified old vines Single Block Chenin Blanc. We call her the old lady and she is even impressive on Zoom!
You can connect with Dirk on Instagram at @DirkJacobusCoetzee
Let's Meet Up - Virtually!
In light of current world events, we are offering online gatherings for ways to connect. Check it out.
Saturday May 16 | 4pm PST (US) | 7pm EST (US) | 9am SUNDAY May 10 | Syd (AUS)
Foundational Yoga with Elizabeth Van Emst (60 min)
Join Napa Valley Yoga Center teacher Elizabeth Van Emst for Week three of our weekly yoga practice. Sign up with the link here and email events@abalancedglass.com with any questions.
** NEW WORKSHOP ALERT **
Thursday May 21 | 5pm PST (US) | 8pm EST (US) | 10am Friday May 22 Syd (AUS)
ABG + Pen2Paper Writing Workshop - Message in a Bottle
Isolation. Did you ever imagine that our own homes would become a private deserted island? We didn't either, but we're putting pen to paper to sort it out and find some solace in the beauty of what washes up on our shores. Join us for this workshop - all that you need is a pen, paper and a glass of wine!
Join us and register on Pen2PaperProject here
