October 31, 2023 • 25 mins
Elizabeth Cottrell isn't just an author and speaker, she's an ambassador. As the author of Heartspoken: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire, Elizabeth is on a mission to inspire readers to rediscover the power of connecting through notes and letters. It's one of Jason's favorite topics, and he's thrilled to welcome her to The Book Drop Mic.
Buy Elizabeth's new book:
https://www.heartspoken.com/heartspoken-book/
Learn more about Elizabeth:
https://www.heartspoken.com/
Subscribe to Elizabeth's free newsletter:
https://heartspoken.substack.com
Learn more about Jason:
http://www.jasonfwright.com
About the book:
In the hands of author Elizabeth H. Cottrell, the handwritten note is set free from old-fashioned irrelevance to become a superpower tool for connecting with others. Heartspoken: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire will guide you to uncovering your own unique note-writing voice and give you the confidence to use it. Consider the flipping of a light switch. You can't see the electricity. You may not even understand how it works. But when power starts flowing through the open wire, it is nothing short of miraculous. She will show you how to find and flip that switch in your own note writing. Grasp this beautiful process, and your writing will become alive, meaningful, and impactful in ways you never thought possible.
This podcast is brought to you by InkVeins, your source for book publicity, promo, press releases and more. Text 540-212-4095 for more information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome, friends, to the Book Drop Mic brought to you
by InkVeins, your source forbook publicity, promo and press
releases.
This is, of course, your host,your friend Jason Wright, and I
do not have to tell you how muchI love a handwritten letter, a
handwritten card, those littlenotes that show up on your desk
(00:25):
or in your mailbox, or on thepew at church or in your cubicle
.
I love this long lost art of ahandwritten letter and card and
note.
And so today's guest on thepodcast was the biggest
no-brainer in the history ofno-brainers.
She is the author of HeartSpoken how to Write Notes that
(00:49):
Connect, comfort, encourage andInspire.
She's a good friend, she's alocal to me anyway.
Her name is Elizabeth Cottrelland I'm thrilled to have her
step up to the Book Drop Mic.
Hello, elizabeth, how are you?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Good morning, jason.
I'm great, thank you.
Wonderful to be with you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It is fun to have you here and of course I say all
the time that these interviewsare usually recorded, captured
using Zoom, so I get to see yourbright, smiling, shiny face and
know that you're just down theroad for me, which is unusual.
Usually my guests are scatteredabout the planet and fun to
have someone who is scattered soclose.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Absolutely, it's a treat.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
It is, and it's a treat to run into you around
town.
Okay, let's dive into this.
We're going to talk about thebook, that's why you're here,
but first I want my listeners,who perhaps are not familiar
with you and your work and thispassion that you have for this
topic today, to know a littlebit about who Elizabeth is.
Who are you?
Great question.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Elizabeth used to ask me that, mom, what do we tell
people when they want to knowwhat you do?
25 words or less is usuallykind of tricky for that.
But I am a scientist.
By training, a connector, byavocation, I did years and years
of technical writing, which isjust rather straightforward.
(02:14):
Never really thought of myselfas a writer, but I've always
been passionate about connectingwith other people and community
work and that kind of thing.
So that is how you and I firsthad our paths crosses, the
various ways we both areinvolved in our community, which
we both believe in, but theseeds of this book, I think.
(02:37):
When my husband retired as aninternal medicine specialist
here in the Valley, that was anopportunity for me to shift
gears and ask myself what Iwanted to do with the rest of my
life, and so I started a blog,which was kind of fun, and what
my blog is about is a connection, and I really came to
(02:58):
understand that we are hardwiredfor connection, and so I began
to explore what that meant in mywriting and, of course, one of
the four essential connections,those being our connection with
God, our connection with others,our connection with self and
our connection with nature.
But in connecting with others.
(03:20):
I just realized that thislittle wonderful pick up a pen
and write a note was one of themore powerful connection tools
that we have at our disposal.
And so I started, have alwayswritten notes myself, but
started hearing from people that, oh, I don't know how to write
notes the way you do, how do youdo it?
(03:41):
And eventually somebody saidyou should write a note a book,
I mean.
And so that seed was planted,probably for years, and
percolated, and then came COVIDand my daughter called me that
month after the world wentsilent.
She said mom, it's your 70thbirthday and I know your
(04:02):
calendar has just gone fromcompletely full to completely
empty, like everybody else's,and I want you to get that book
out of your head and onto paperand to make sure that you do.
I, for your birthday, I'mgiving you some time with a
friend of mine who's anaccountability coach and she's
going to call you every week tosee what you've done.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
So my daughter, sarah , cultural props gets the big
shout out for for getting me offof square one and getting me to
write the book.
And then, of course, I cannottell the book story without
including you, because I didwrite the book and then took
another few months to figure outwhat to do with it.
And just a few weeks before, afew months before it was to go
(04:43):
to be published, my publishersaid oh, by the way, have you
thought about getting somebodyto write a preface, to write an
introduction?
And you came immediately tomind, because you have written
so eloquently about your beliefin the power of a handwritten
note.
And I wrote to you and you werein the middle of your own book
(05:05):
promotion.
You were actually out westsomewhere on a book tour and out
of the kindness of your heart,you didn't even hesitate, you
said I'm in.
That was your, your answer toyou, to my query.
So the introduction prefaceforward is, think I think is the
way we used it, to my book isis Jason right, and I will
(05:25):
forever be grateful, not justthat you did it, but that you
believed in it enough to putyour name on it.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Absolutely, absolutely, and I can't say
enough how thrilled I am thatyour daughter was was insightful
enough to know this might bethe little help that mom needs.
I'm a big fan and in personalcoaching and professional
(05:53):
coaching and self development,self help, whatever you want to
call it and so I love that shedid that, that she thought maybe
this one little piece is thething that will help.
Obviously, you did all the work.
You do the writing, you did theresearch, you put the thing
together, but having someone topush us along is it can be, it
can be just so valuable.
I tell people all the time thatwant to write a book or that
(06:14):
tell me that they're going towrite a book.
The most important thing youcan do is tell everyone.
Tell everyone you're doing it.
If you post on social mediatoday I'm going to write a book,
I'm doing it this month or thisyear or the next decade,
whatever it is.
Tell everyone so they can holdyou accountable, because there's
nothing that drives you morethan going to church or school
or seeing your friend in thestore and having them say how's
(06:35):
your book coming, and youknowing secretly that you've
written exactly two and a halfpages over the last month.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So I love that Absolutely absolutely Great
props your daughter.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I am holding the thank you note that you sent me
when you sent me the book thatwas signed, and then I'm also
holding up.
Obviously, folks, we're goingto have links in the show notes
to Elizabeth, to her website, towhere you can pick up heart
spoken.
Okay so again, those that havefollowed my career for more than
about four minutes know that Ibelieve so much in how we can
(07:10):
lift a person, inspire a person,comfort a person, mourn with a
person, grieve with a person.
There's no, there's.
There's simply nothing betterthan a handwritten note.
And people say to me why doesit have to be handwritten?
I said, well, I get that emailis important.
I send text all the time topeople.
When I just feel like I've got10 seconds, I want to send a
(07:31):
quick pick me up to a friend, toa family member, to one of my
kids, to someone from church,whatever.
So I do believe that technologycan play a role in how we and
how we connect, but there isnothing that replaces your hand
gliding across a piece of paperand and literally leaving a
little bit of yourself on thatpaper as you share what's in
(07:51):
your heart with somebody.
So tell us what is the.
You and I are in the elevatorand you've got 30 seconds to
tell me about heart spoken andand why you think it matters so
much.
You alluded to it before.
Give me the 30 second pitch forthose people that might only
get to this point in the podcastand jet off to work or school
(08:13):
or wherever they've got to go.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Heart spoken powder.
Right notes that connect,comfort, encourage and inspire
is not a lecture.
It is a an encouragement.
It is a an inspiration of whyyou can and you will find your
own voice to give these messagesto the people, professional and
(08:37):
personal, in your life thatmean the most to you.
I really hope that by the endof this book you will understand
and feel inspired and feelequipped to grab this superpower
for your own.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Oh well, there you go , the door's open.
We're off the elevator.
Well done, well done Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So let me make one little quick point, jason, and
that is heart-spoken.
You will have no doubt, readingmy book, that I agree with
everything you said about ahandwritten note.
But the message of the book isthe heart-spoken part.
It is from your heart, whichcan be conveyed in any number of
ways, and we certainly I usetechnology as well.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So no, totally get it .
And I happen to know that Ihave a listener right now down
in Charlottesville, virginia,who may or may not be my mother,
who would say that herhandwriting is probably not
suitable these days, legiblethese days, and so an email or a
(09:40):
text message or a phone callfor my mother, she would say, is
much more powerful, impactfulthan a handwritten note.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I have a whole section on there about
alternatives to handwrittennotes.
So I try to anticipate thatobjection.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
You do so, you have chapter one before you begin.
Chapter two, start with Y.
Chapter three the secret notesformula.
Chapter four note for everyoccasion.
Chapter five outside the boxnote writing.
Chapter six take it to theoffice, business and
professional notes and thentools of the trade passing the
torch.
So what I wanted to ask aboutreal quick is the outside the
(10:17):
box note writing.
People might be listening rightnow and going.
I have not written a note sincethe seventh grade when I wrote
it on a piece of notebook paperthat I pulled out of my trapper
keeper and I shoved in the slotof someone's locker at school
that I liked.
I don't even know what notewriting card writing would even
(10:39):
look like in my life today andthey find something in this out
of the box chapter that appliesto them.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Oh gosh, I sure hope so, jason.
I think that that is.
We get so bogged down inetiquette and I'm a great fan of
etiquette but the thank younotes and the sympathy notes are
sort of what's were shoved downour throats as children and
made, and we were made to write.
But when I am talking aboutoutside the box note writing, it
(11:08):
is all about caring about otherpeople and the various things
that they're going to go throughin their life, and so it might
be a pat on the back note forsomething they have achieved.
It might be a note to say and Isee your daughter has just been
made valedictorian.
This is amazing.
Or it might be I hate thatyou're going through this.
(11:33):
I know it's embarrassing or Iknow it's painful or I know it's
whatever, but I just want youto know that I'm thinking of you
.
Or it might be as simple as hey, this is a book I read and
immediately made me think of you.
Just wanted you to know Two orthree lines.
Often, and especially when it'sunexpected, I think our
(11:55):
unexpected notes from people arelike getting a hug.
They really are, and some ofthe really oddball ones that I
talk about in the book are muchmore poignant.
I've written to people.
I've written to politicians,local politicians when there was
a really very acrimoniouselection and just begged them to
(12:18):
remember that we're all peopleand let's be kind to each other.
I've written to people who werein the news because of an
embarrassing thing that they did, that maybe even a mistake that
they made, but to let them knowthat this is terrible, but
you'll get through this.
Somebody from church that wascharged with something that was
(12:44):
embarrassing, so those kinds ofthings.
We should reach out to peopleand connect because they are.
But, for the grace of God, gowe.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Absolutely, and I think if you're listening right
now and wondering, boy, who inmy circle of influence could I
lift or inspire or touch orconnect with, it might be as
simple as just closing your eyesand pondering, asking God,
(13:14):
whatever that looks like for you.
We all think and pray andponder, perhaps differently, but
just take a moment to justclose your eyes, meditate, think
about your week, think aboutpeople you've seen, think about
people that you work with,interact with your neighbor down
the street that you haven'tseen in far too long, and you'll
be surprised at how names willsort of come to mind and they'll
(13:37):
stay there.
And sometimes the most, I think, interesting notes that I have
sent to people have been when aname occurred to me and I just
let it roll around for a fewdays in my head.
I keep a journal on Sundays inchurch and I take notes on the
service that I'm in and I makenotes on my goals that I'm
(13:57):
working toward, and occasionallyin that journal more than
occasionally, quite often I makea note of someone that I
perhaps didn't see in church andit's been a little while, and
so I'll think about that forseveral days until I get to
Tuesday, wednesday, thursday inmy week and then early in the
morning I'll sit at my desk andI'll scratch out a short note
that just says I have beenthinking of you and it's real
(14:20):
and it's genuine and it'sauthentic.
It's not a card at the storethat you pay $7 for that says
thinking of you, signed Jason.
It's much more real than that.
It feels like it's actuallycoming from me and not just
through me.
And there's a difference inbuying a card, which sometimes
(14:40):
we have to do, I understand, butwhen you buy a card, you're
simply the vehicle for that toget to its destination.
When you make a card or createa card or just take something
personal that's in your desk, apiece of stationary, it just
feels like it's coming reallyfrom the heart.
I mean, that's where this heartspoken comes from right,
absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
And I one little piece of feedback I got from my
brother the first year of COVID.
I was so moved by that wholeexperience and I wrote to every
one of my four brothers andsisters in the first few months
of that year just to let themknow how much I love them and
how much I appreciated them andwhy I appreciated them and one
(15:21):
of my brothers.
They all expressed gratitudefor that.
But one of my brothers said youhave no idea how much it means
to me to feel seen by you, andthat is what happens.
And to your point about goingto the store, I think sometimes,
if you have, if you think yes,I'd like to write more notes.
One of the best ways to do itis to make it convenient and
(15:44):
keep your supplies close at handand stock up on notes that
don't have any message in themso that you can write your own
message.
But I love your advice aboutjust taking a moment and
listening for that still smallvoice, because it will come to
you.
Yeah, and that is actually the Oin open of my formula, of my
(16:05):
notes formula the O is open tois open yourself and your heart
and your mind to inspiration.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And possibly to someone that you just could not
imagine would need that kind ofconnection, and that's and
that's what heaven can do for usis to guide us to those people
like you you said a few minutesago, it's so special when it's
completely unexpected and youjust open your mailbox and there
is something from a name thatmaybe hasn't occurred to you in
(16:36):
in so long and you just knowthat they have that same kind of
experience.
And so in return, you you knowyou want to have that kind of
experience with them I will sayI the reviews for the book are
terrific Again in the show noteswe'll have links to where
people can look this up but lotsof great praise at the
beginning of the book.
I especially like this one thatI'll share with you, because I
(17:00):
think this just sums up so wellhow I feel about the book.
It says again praise for heartspoken.
The beginning of the book quotewhat you have in your hand is
far more than another book onthe proper way to write a note
or letter.
It offers you the inspirationand encouragement to know, deep
in your soul, exactly the rightthing to say at the right time.
(17:23):
I'm laughing because I wrotethat, because that is how I feel
.
Thank you for thank you forincluding that.
And again, there's all sorts oflovely sentiments from people
that you have worked with andand studied with and the
business with.
So I just love the book.
I think, if you're, if you'relistening again and you just
(17:44):
want to know where to start,it's been 10 years since you
wrote a letter.
Maybe it's been 10 years sinceyou got a letter, so you're
completely out of the practice,maybe just have forgotten that
it's even a thing.
Yes, you can still buy stamps.
You can still go to the postoffice, buy a stamp and put it
on a, on a card or a letter.
But if you're wondering whereto begin, just make a goal right
(18:05):
now that today or whatever daythat you happen to listen to
this episode of the show, thatyou'll grab a pen and a if it's
a blank piece of paper that youpull out of your printer, that
is okay.
Just start and just, you know,write, write your mom or your
dad or your brother or yourcollege roommate or your pastor
(18:28):
or your elementary schoolteacher, and just share three or
four lines about how you'redoing and that perhaps you just
hope that they're well, hopethat they're healthy, hope that
they're feeling happy and somesense of peace in a world that
is not particularly peacefulright now.
And I promise, if you do thatonce, it will, it will be well
(18:51):
received.
I guarantee you it will.
I have written thousands uponthousands of handwritten notes
throughout my life, inparticular over the last
probably four or five years.
Not one time has anyone stoppedme in this store or at church
or on the sidewalk and saidJason right, I cannot believe
you.
How could you possibly send mea handwritten note?
(19:12):
Not once that ever happened toyou, elizabeth Cottrell.
Well, I bet not.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
It has not.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
It has not.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
And we need to just let go of the expectation,
though, that we're going to getthanked for it.
Sometimes you do.
This is something that you justput out into the universe
because it's a good thing to do,and and it does.
And, jason, I need to say onemore thing in gratitude to you,
because in the book, before Ieven asked you to write the
(19:40):
foreword, I had shared a storythat you have shared about the
note that you got from, Ibelieve, a teacher when your dad
died, and I was so moved bythat, and it is just one of the
most beautiful examples of ofthe lasting impact, of somebody
taking the time to reach out.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Yeah, that is a special letter.
When we end this interview.
You give me about 15 secondsand I will produce that letter
for you and I will show you thatletter that I keep in carry,
all right, so you're writing ahigh on the success of
heart-spoken.
You're speaking about it, bythe way, if you're listening,
and you have a group, anonprofit, a business, something
(20:25):
, and you would like Elizabethto come speak, I'm sure she
would love to chat with youabout that.
A speaking engagement, eitherin person or virtually.
Reach out to Elizabeth throughher website.
What's next for you?
What will you do now that youhave met this goal and with a
little nudge from your daughter?
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Well, I'm really focusing right now on supporting
those who have read the book orwho say to themselves I really
want to be a better note writer.
So I've got a newsletter forthose folks that I write weekly
to help them, support them inthat endeavor.
But then more broadly, and thenI'm creating some mini courses
(21:06):
to go along with it and I thinkif future writing I don't know
that there's another whole bookin me, but probably some smaller
books, but mostly I just wantto get this.
It's really a ministry for menow and I just if I know that
I'm going to leave this earthtomorrow, I just know that the
(21:28):
effort that I made to spread alittle bit of light and sunshine
around it through this bookwill be enough.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Well, and a ministry indeed.
I can see that it's throughoutthe writing.
You can tell that you're notjust teaching some principles,
like we're in a class at thelocal community college, but
you're sharing a piece of youand you can feel the
authenticity and the passionbehind this.
(21:58):
And so it does feel very muchlike a ministry.
And it's just remarkable toknow, and for anyone out there
listening who wonders if theirtime will come when they too
will write a book, whether it'sfiction or nonfiction, and
whether it might take thatlittle bit of a nudge from a
loved one, like a child in yourcase, there's something magical,
remarkable, humbling, to knowthat, as you said, perhaps
(22:22):
tomorrow you don't wake up andif that were to happen, this
doesn't go with you.
This stays for years and yearsand generations and generations.
This book will be on people'sshelves in libraries, on their
device, whatever it might be.
So your legacy, your legacy ofthis book, will long outlive you
(22:46):
, and having written a few booksmyself, I know what that feels
like and that's a prettyhumbling thing.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
So I thank you.
You're really an inspiration.
Thank you, and just reallyinterestingly, a group that I
never expected for it toresonate with are people in
sales who have grasped the wholesort of old things become new
again relationship marketing,realizing that people are people
before they are the person youwant to buy from you, and so
(23:16):
they have really jumped on thisas a tool for their sales teams,
and I've been fascinated bythat little dynamic.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Yeah, no, that's a great reminder and it takes the
cost of a stamp and a little bitof paper and envelope and some
time.
But in the grand scheme ofmarketing budgets and digital
advertising and streaming andtelevision advertising which
still exists, it's a fraction ofwhat your team might spend to
(23:45):
get their message out, to justsit and have associates or
people in the field write aquick note.
Yeah, I like that a lot.
That's a great reminder.
All right, where do we find youonline?
I'll put the links in, but justso we know where do we find you
.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
The easiest place is just wwwheartspokencom and
heartspokencom forward slashbook has information about
various places.
You can get it online, whetheryou're an Amazon fan and if
you're not, bookshop, and lotsof testimonials and excerpts.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Love it, and I can guarantee that here in a few
days, I'm going to get a note inmy mailbox, aren't I, elizabeth
Cottrell?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
You are indeed, you are indeed.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
And you know what.
You're also going to get a note, and I bet you knew that as
well.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Your support has meant the world to me, Jason.
I really appreciate it.
It's been wonderful to havethis conversation.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
It's an absolute treasure to know you and to help
you promote this book.
I hope people pick it up, Ihope that they pay it forward
and, most importantly, I hopethat they find someone to write
a note to today.
Thanks again for joining theshow.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
You bet.
Thank you, Jason.
Welcome, friends, to the Book Drop Mic brought to you
by InkVeins, your source forbook publicity, promo and press
releases.
This is, of course, your host,your friend Jason Wright, and I
do not have to tell you how muchI love a handwritten letter, a
handwritten card, those littlenotes that show up on your desk
(00:25):
or in your mailbox, or on thepew at church or in your cubicle
.
I love this long lost art of ahandwritten letter and card and
note.
And so today's guest on thepodcast was the biggest
no-brainer in the history ofno-brainers.
She is the author of HeartSpoken how to Write Notes that
(00:49):
Connect, comfort, encourage andInspire.
She's a good friend, she's alocal to me anyway.
Her name is Elizabeth Cottrelland I'm thrilled to have her
step up to the Book Drop Mic.
Hello, elizabeth, how are you?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Good morning, jason.
I'm great, thank you.
Wonderful to be with you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It is fun to have you here and of course I say all
the time that these interviewsare usually recorded, captured
using Zoom, so I get to see yourbright, smiling, shiny face and
know that you're just down theroad for me, which is unusual.
Usually my guests are scatteredabout the planet and fun to
have someone who is scattered soclose.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Absolutely, it's a treat.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
It is, and it's a treat to run into you around
town.
Okay, let's dive into this.
We're going to talk about thebook, that's why you're here,
but first I want my listeners,who perhaps are not familiar
with you and your work and thispassion that you have for this
topic today, to know a littlebit about who Elizabeth is.
Who are you?
Great question.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Elizabeth used to ask me that, mom, what do we tell
people when they want to knowwhat you do?
25 words or less is usuallykind of tricky for that.
But I am a scientist.
By training, a connector, byavocation, I did years and years
of technical writing, which isjust rather straightforward.
(02:14):
Never really thought of myselfas a writer, but I've always
been passionate about connectingwith other people and community
work and that kind of thing.
So that is how you and I firsthad our paths crosses, the
various ways we both areinvolved in our community, which
we both believe in, but theseeds of this book, I think.
(02:37):
When my husband retired as aninternal medicine specialist
here in the Valley, that was anopportunity for me to shift
gears and ask myself what Iwanted to do with the rest of my
life, and so I started a blog,which was kind of fun, and what
my blog is about is a connection, and I really came to
(02:58):
understand that we are hardwiredfor connection, and so I began
to explore what that meant in mywriting and, of course, one of
the four essential connections,those being our connection with
God, our connection with others,our connection with self and
our connection with nature.
But in connecting with others.
(03:20):
I just realized that thislittle wonderful pick up a pen
and write a note was one of themore powerful connection tools
that we have at our disposal.
And so I started, have alwayswritten notes myself, but
started hearing from people that, oh, I don't know how to write
notes the way you do, how do youdo it?
(03:41):
And eventually somebody saidyou should write a note a book,
I mean.
And so that seed was planted,probably for years, and
percolated, and then came COVIDand my daughter called me that
month after the world wentsilent.
She said mom, it's your 70thbirthday and I know your
(04:02):
calendar has just gone fromcompletely full to completely
empty, like everybody else's,and I want you to get that book
out of your head and onto paperand to make sure that you do.
I, for your birthday, I'mgiving you some time with a
friend of mine who's anaccountability coach and she's
going to call you every week tosee what you've done.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
So my daughter, sarah , cultural props gets the big
shout out for for getting me offof square one and getting me to
write the book.
And then, of course, I cannottell the book story without
including you, because I didwrite the book and then took
another few months to figure outwhat to do with it.
And just a few weeks before, afew months before it was to go
(04:43):
to be published, my publishersaid oh, by the way, have you
thought about getting somebodyto write a preface, to write an
introduction?
And you came immediately tomind, because you have written
so eloquently about your beliefin the power of a handwritten
note.
And I wrote to you and you werein the middle of your own book
(05:05):
promotion.
You were actually out westsomewhere on a book tour and out
of the kindness of your heart,you didn't even hesitate, you
said I'm in.
That was your, your answer toyou, to my query.
So the introduction prefaceforward is, think I think is the
way we used it, to my book isis Jason right, and I will
(05:25):
forever be grateful, not justthat you did it, but that you
believed in it enough to putyour name on it.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Absolutely, absolutely, and I can't say
enough how thrilled I am thatyour daughter was was insightful
enough to know this might bethe little help that mom needs.
I'm a big fan and in personalcoaching and professional
(05:53):
coaching and self development,self help, whatever you want to
call it and so I love that shedid that, that she thought maybe
this one little piece is thething that will help.
Obviously, you did all the work.
You do the writing, you did theresearch, you put the thing
together, but having someone topush us along is it can be, it
can be just so valuable.
I tell people all the time thatwant to write a book or that
(06:14):
tell me that they're going towrite a book.
The most important thing youcan do is tell everyone.
Tell everyone you're doing it.
If you post on social mediatoday I'm going to write a book,
I'm doing it this month or thisyear or the next decade,
whatever it is.
Tell everyone so they can holdyou accountable, because there's
nothing that drives you morethan going to church or school
or seeing your friend in thestore and having them say how's
(06:35):
your book coming, and youknowing secretly that you've
written exactly two and a halfpages over the last month.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So I love that Absolutely absolutely Great
props your daughter.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I am holding the thank you note that you sent me
when you sent me the book thatwas signed, and then I'm also
holding up.
Obviously, folks, we're goingto have links in the show notes
to Elizabeth, to her website, towhere you can pick up heart
spoken.
Okay so again, those that havefollowed my career for more than
about four minutes know that Ibelieve so much in how we can
(07:10):
lift a person, inspire a person,comfort a person, mourn with a
person, grieve with a person.
There's no, there's.
There's simply nothing betterthan a handwritten note.
And people say to me why doesit have to be handwritten?
I said, well, I get that emailis important.
I send text all the time topeople.
When I just feel like I've got10 seconds, I want to send a
(07:31):
quick pick me up to a friend, toa family member, to one of my
kids, to someone from church,whatever.
So I do believe that technologycan play a role in how we and
how we connect, but there isnothing that replaces your hand
gliding across a piece of paperand and literally leaving a
little bit of yourself on thatpaper as you share what's in
(07:51):
your heart with somebody.
So tell us what is the.
You and I are in the elevatorand you've got 30 seconds to
tell me about heart spoken andand why you think it matters so
much.
You alluded to it before.
Give me the 30 second pitch forthose people that might only
get to this point in the podcastand jet off to work or school
(08:13):
or wherever they've got to go.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Heart spoken powder.
Right notes that connect,comfort, encourage and inspire
is not a lecture.
It is a an encouragement.
It is a an inspiration of whyyou can and you will find your
own voice to give these messagesto the people, professional and
(08:37):
personal, in your life thatmean the most to you.
I really hope that by the endof this book you will understand
and feel inspired and feelequipped to grab this superpower
for your own.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Oh well, there you go , the door's open.
We're off the elevator.
Well done, well done Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So let me make one little quick point, jason, and
that is heart-spoken.
You will have no doubt, readingmy book, that I agree with
everything you said about ahandwritten note.
But the message of the book isthe heart-spoken part.
It is from your heart, whichcan be conveyed in any number of
ways, and we certainly I usetechnology as well.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So no, totally get it .
And I happen to know that Ihave a listener right now down
in Charlottesville, virginia,who may or may not be my mother,
who would say that herhandwriting is probably not
suitable these days, legiblethese days, and so an email or a
(09:40):
text message or a phone callfor my mother, she would say, is
much more powerful, impactfulthan a handwritten note.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I have a whole section on there about
alternatives to handwrittennotes.
So I try to anticipate thatobjection.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
You do so, you have chapter one before you begin.
Chapter two, start with Y.
Chapter three the secret notesformula.
Chapter four note for everyoccasion.
Chapter five outside the boxnote writing.
Chapter six take it to theoffice, business and
professional notes and thentools of the trade passing the
torch.
So what I wanted to ask aboutreal quick is the outside the
(10:17):
box note writing.
People might be listening rightnow and going.
I have not written a note sincethe seventh grade when I wrote
it on a piece of notebook paperthat I pulled out of my trapper
keeper and I shoved in the slotof someone's locker at school
that I liked.
I don't even know what notewriting card writing would even
(10:39):
look like in my life today andthey find something in this out
of the box chapter that appliesto them.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Oh gosh, I sure hope so, jason.
I think that that is.
We get so bogged down inetiquette and I'm a great fan of
etiquette but the thank younotes and the sympathy notes are
sort of what's were shoved downour throats as children and
made, and we were made to write.
But when I am talking aboutoutside the box note writing, it
(11:08):
is all about caring about otherpeople and the various things
that they're going to go throughin their life, and so it might
be a pat on the back note forsomething they have achieved.
It might be a note to say and Isee your daughter has just been
made valedictorian.
This is amazing.
Or it might be I hate thatyou're going through this.
(11:33):
I know it's embarrassing or Iknow it's painful or I know it's
whatever, but I just want youto know that I'm thinking of you
.
Or it might be as simple as hey, this is a book I read and
immediately made me think of you.
Just wanted you to know Two orthree lines.
Often, and especially when it'sunexpected, I think our
(11:55):
unexpected notes from people arelike getting a hug.
They really are, and some ofthe really oddball ones that I
talk about in the book are muchmore poignant.
I've written to people.
I've written to politicians,local politicians when there was
a really very acrimoniouselection and just begged them to
(12:18):
remember that we're all peopleand let's be kind to each other.
I've written to people who werein the news because of an
embarrassing thing that they did, that maybe even a mistake that
they made, but to let them knowthat this is terrible, but
you'll get through this.
Somebody from church that wascharged with something that was
(12:44):
embarrassing, so those kinds ofthings.
We should reach out to peopleand connect because they are.
But, for the grace of God, gowe.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Absolutely, and I think if you're listening right
now and wondering, boy, who inmy circle of influence could I
lift or inspire or touch orconnect with, it might be as
simple as just closing your eyesand pondering, asking God,
(13:14):
whatever that looks like for you.
We all think and pray andponder, perhaps differently, but
just take a moment to justclose your eyes, meditate, think
about your week, think aboutpeople you've seen, think about
people that you work with,interact with your neighbor down
the street that you haven'tseen in far too long, and you'll
be surprised at how names willsort of come to mind and they'll
(13:37):
stay there.
And sometimes the most, I think, interesting notes that I have
sent to people have been when aname occurred to me and I just
let it roll around for a fewdays in my head.
I keep a journal on Sundays inchurch and I take notes on the
service that I'm in and I makenotes on my goals that I'm
(13:57):
working toward, and occasionallyin that journal more than
occasionally, quite often I makea note of someone that I
perhaps didn't see in church andit's been a little while, and
so I'll think about that forseveral days until I get to
Tuesday, wednesday, thursday inmy week and then early in the
morning I'll sit at my desk andI'll scratch out a short note
that just says I have beenthinking of you and it's real
(14:20):
and it's genuine and it'sauthentic.
It's not a card at the storethat you pay $7 for that says
thinking of you, signed Jason.
It's much more real than that.
It feels like it's actuallycoming from me and not just
through me.
And there's a difference inbuying a card, which sometimes
(14:40):
we have to do, I understand, butwhen you buy a card, you're
simply the vehicle for that toget to its destination.
When you make a card or createa card or just take something
personal that's in your desk, apiece of stationary, it just
feels like it's coming reallyfrom the heart.
I mean, that's where this heartspoken comes from right,
absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
And I one little piece of feedback I got from my
brother the first year of COVID.
I was so moved by that wholeexperience and I wrote to every
one of my four brothers andsisters in the first few months
of that year just to let themknow how much I love them and
how much I appreciated them andwhy I appreciated them and one
(15:21):
of my brothers.
They all expressed gratitudefor that.
But one of my brothers said youhave no idea how much it means
to me to feel seen by you, andthat is what happens.
And to your point about goingto the store, I think sometimes,
if you have, if you think yes,I'd like to write more notes.
One of the best ways to do itis to make it convenient and
(15:44):
keep your supplies close at handand stock up on notes that
don't have any message in themso that you can write your own
message.
But I love your advice aboutjust taking a moment and
listening for that still smallvoice, because it will come to
you.
Yeah, and that is actually the Oin open of my formula, of my
(16:05):
notes formula the O is open tois open yourself and your heart
and your mind to inspiration.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And possibly to someone that you just could not
imagine would need that kind ofconnection, and that's and
that's what heaven can do for usis to guide us to those people
like you you said a few minutesago, it's so special when it's
completely unexpected and youjust open your mailbox and there
is something from a name thatmaybe hasn't occurred to you in
(16:36):
in so long and you just knowthat they have that same kind of
experience.
And so in return, you you knowyou want to have that kind of
experience with them I will sayI the reviews for the book are
terrific Again in the show noteswe'll have links to where
people can look this up but lotsof great praise at the
beginning of the book.
I especially like this one thatI'll share with you, because I
(17:00):
think this just sums up so wellhow I feel about the book.
It says again praise for heartspoken.
The beginning of the book quotewhat you have in your hand is
far more than another book onthe proper way to write a note
or letter.
It offers you the inspirationand encouragement to know, deep
in your soul, exactly the rightthing to say at the right time.
(17:23):
I'm laughing because I wrotethat, because that is how I feel
.
Thank you for thank you forincluding that.
And again, there's all sorts oflovely sentiments from people
that you have worked with andand studied with and the
business with.
So I just love the book.
I think, if you're, if you'relistening again and you just
(17:44):
want to know where to start,it's been 10 years since you
wrote a letter.
Maybe it's been 10 years sinceyou got a letter, so you're
completely out of the practice,maybe just have forgotten that
it's even a thing.
Yes, you can still buy stamps.
You can still go to the postoffice, buy a stamp and put it
on a, on a card or a letter.
But if you're wondering whereto begin, just make a goal right
(18:05):
now that today or whatever daythat you happen to listen to
this episode of the show, thatyou'll grab a pen and a if it's
a blank piece of paper that youpull out of your printer, that
is okay.
Just start and just, you know,write, write your mom or your
dad or your brother or yourcollege roommate or your pastor
(18:28):
or your elementary schoolteacher, and just share three or
four lines about how you'redoing and that perhaps you just
hope that they're well, hopethat they're healthy, hope that
they're feeling happy and somesense of peace in a world that
is not particularly peacefulright now.
And I promise, if you do thatonce, it will, it will be well
(18:51):
received.
I guarantee you it will.
I have written thousands uponthousands of handwritten notes
throughout my life, inparticular over the last
probably four or five years.
Not one time has anyone stoppedme in this store or at church
or on the sidewalk and saidJason right, I cannot believe
you.
How could you possibly send mea handwritten note?
(19:12):
Not once that ever happened toyou, elizabeth Cottrell.
Well, I bet not.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
It has not.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
It has not.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
And we need to just let go of the expectation,
though, that we're going to getthanked for it.
Sometimes you do.
This is something that you justput out into the universe
because it's a good thing to do,and and it does.
And, jason, I need to say onemore thing in gratitude to you,
because in the book, before Ieven asked you to write the
(19:40):
foreword, I had shared a storythat you have shared about the
note that you got from, Ibelieve, a teacher when your dad
died, and I was so moved bythat, and it is just one of the
most beautiful examples of ofthe lasting impact, of somebody
taking the time to reach out.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Yeah, that is a special letter.
When we end this interview.
You give me about 15 secondsand I will produce that letter
for you and I will show you thatletter that I keep in carry,
all right, so you're writing ahigh on the success of
heart-spoken.
You're speaking about it, bythe way, if you're listening,
and you have a group, anonprofit, a business, something
(20:25):
, and you would like Elizabethto come speak, I'm sure she
would love to chat with youabout that.
A speaking engagement, eitherin person or virtually.
Reach out to Elizabeth throughher website.
What's next for you?
What will you do now that youhave met this goal and with a
little nudge from your daughter?
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Well, I'm really focusing right now on supporting
those who have read the book orwho say to themselves I really
want to be a better note writer.
So I've got a newsletter forthose folks that I write weekly
to help them, support them inthat endeavor.
But then more broadly, and thenI'm creating some mini courses
(21:06):
to go along with it and I thinkif future writing I don't know
that there's another whole bookin me, but probably some smaller
books, but mostly I just wantto get this.
It's really a ministry for menow and I just if I know that
I'm going to leave this earthtomorrow, I just know that the
(21:28):
effort that I made to spread alittle bit of light and sunshine
around it through this bookwill be enough.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Well, and a ministry indeed.
I can see that it's throughoutthe writing.
You can tell that you're notjust teaching some principles,
like we're in a class at thelocal community college, but
you're sharing a piece of youand you can feel the
authenticity and the passionbehind this.
(21:58):
And so it does feel very muchlike a ministry.
And it's just remarkable toknow, and for anyone out there
listening who wonders if theirtime will come when they too
will write a book, whether it'sfiction or nonfiction, and
whether it might take thatlittle bit of a nudge from a
loved one, like a child in yourcase, there's something magical,
remarkable, humbling, to knowthat, as you said, perhaps
(22:22):
tomorrow you don't wake up andif that were to happen, this
doesn't go with you.
This stays for years and yearsand generations and generations.
This book will be on people'sshelves in libraries, on their
device, whatever it might be.
So your legacy, your legacy ofthis book, will long outlive you
(22:46):
, and having written a few booksmyself, I know what that feels
like and that's a prettyhumbling thing.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
So I thank you.
You're really an inspiration.
Thank you, and just reallyinterestingly, a group that I
never expected for it toresonate with are people in
sales who have grasped the wholesort of old things become new
again relationship marketing,realizing that people are people
before they are the person youwant to buy from you, and so
(23:16):
they have really jumped on thisas a tool for their sales teams,
and I've been fascinated bythat little dynamic.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Yeah, no, that's a great reminder and it takes the
cost of a stamp and a little bitof paper and envelope and some
time.
But in the grand scheme ofmarketing budgets and digital
advertising and streaming andtelevision advertising which
still exists, it's a fraction ofwhat your team might spend to
(23:45):
get their message out, to justsit and have associates or
people in the field write aquick note.
Yeah, I like that a lot.
That's a great reminder.
All right, where do we find youonline?
I'll put the links in, but justso we know where do we find you
.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
The easiest place is just wwwheartspokencom and
heartspokencom forward slashbook has information about
various places.
You can get it online, whetheryou're an Amazon fan and if
you're not, bookshop, and lotsof testimonials and excerpts.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Love it, and I can guarantee that here in a few
days, I'm going to get a note inmy mailbox, aren't I, elizabeth
Cottrell?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
You are indeed, you are indeed.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
And you know what.
You're also going to get a note, and I bet you knew that as
well.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Your support has meant the world to me, Jason.
I really appreciate it.
It's been wonderful to havethis conversation.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
It's an absolute treasure to know you and to help
you promote this book.
I hope people pick it up, Ihope that they pay it forward
and, most importantly, I hopethat they find someone to write
a note to today.
Thanks again for joining theshow.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
You bet.
Thank you, Jason.
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