“Kind words are worth much and cost little.” – George Herbert, poet
The First Sip
When was the last time you got a handwritten letter?
And how did it make you feel?
I know whenever I get a handwritten note, I never forget it.
The fact that someone took the time to slow down from their busy day and put pen to paper really makes a difference.
And while letter-writing is a lost art in today’s digital world, I’m glad to know that at least one person is still using this simple medium to bring joy to the world.
His name is Brandon Woolf, and for a huge chunk of lockdown he’s perched in a folding chair on a Brooklyn sidewalk where he uses a vintage portable typewriter to write letters for strangers.
But these aren’t just any letters.
As his sign reads, they’re Free Letters for Friends Feeling Blue.
The 37-year-old NYU professor has written a total of 50 letters to date – helping his neighbors stay in touch.
“When interpersonal connection is risky, what are other ways where we can be together?” Woolf ponders. “What is a better experience than getting a piece of mail in your mailbox from somebody you didn’t expect to hear from?”
Let me ask you a question: Who can you send a handwritten letter to this week?
1 Caffeinated Neurohack
The term “Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor” is a bit of a mouthful – so most people call it BDNF.
But don’t let the scientific name turn you off…BDNF is something you should know about.
It’s a key protein that’s part of a family of growth factors that support and nurture neural pathways in the brain.
Still confused?
It’s like fertilizer for your brain.
BDNF is responsible for keeping your BILLIONS of brain cells healthy and fresh.
It ensures your brain is firing on all cylinders, that you’re mentally alert, and that your memory stays strong as you age.
When you have high levels of BDNF, you benefit from:
- Increased brain plasticity
- Lower depression
- Faster weight loss
- Better sleep
- Protection against neurodegenerative diseases
And as you age, keeping BDNF levels high is more important than ever.
Here are a few daily habits you can use to increase BDNF and continue operating at your best:
- Exercise regularly
- Improve your quality of sleep (get more deep sleep hours)
- Consume more polyphenols (tea, blueberries, dark chocolate, etc.)
You’ll also want to avoid BDNF-blocking factors like stress, sugar, and social isolation.
But don’t get overwhelmed…just start small.
With enough repetition, tiny actions turn into lifestyle rhythms.
Marketing Psychology Quick Hit
Social media is kind of an anything-goes, no-holds-barred sort of environment these days.
People share ev-e-ry-thing.
Including some things they probably shouldn’t…
(But that’s a discussion for another time 😂)
The point is that platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are conducive to emotional content.
Research shows that posts with emotional value get MORE shares.
And if you look at the 4 broad emotions of happiness, sadness, fear, and anger, HAPPINESS is found to be far more contagious than the other three.
More specifically, positive social media posts get an average of 1.75 MORE positive responses from followers. (Negative posts prompt 1.29 more negative posts.)
So go out there and share more positive content.
Whether it’s pictures of your team, an anecdote about a heartwarming story you recently saw on the news, or a word of encouragement for your clients – people will reward your positivity!
As a “pro-tip,” use emojis in your positive social content to further boost engagement.
When combined with emotional headlines and positive trigger words like boost, cure, energize, empower, or overcome, you’ll see your social posts perform better across the board!
Do This First Thing Monday AM
At the beginning of this pandemic, I suggested sending out a quick text message to a handful of people checking in on them.
Just a personal check-in- nothing business related.
At the time, I told you that there would never be a more perfect time to reach out to someone whom you hadn’t connected with in a while.
And that still rings true today!
Even though many people are trying to return to normal, the reality is that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic.
Let people know that you’re thinking about them by sending a simple text message like this to seven people on your contact list.
The only rule is that it has to be someone you haven’t spoken with in at least three months.
This is a simple message, but I’ve found little notes like this go a long way towards starting meaningful dialogue and rekindling relationships.
Some people will ignore it, but I bet you’ll get a handful of responses, too!
What’s New With Advisorist
My team and I have a TEENY little problem.
We’re in the process of brainstorming new training ideas that will help advisors like yourself WIN big in 2021.
Can you help us by voting on the ideas that YOU would find most valuable?
🙏 Please and thank you! 🙏
Take care,
Jeremiah
