Write It Down, Write It Out

Or How I Wish My Handwriting Was Better...

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

In my quest to become happier and get organized, I feel like I’ve tried all the apps.

The minimalist to-do lists. The all-in-one productivity dashboards. Digital journals with mood trackers, widgets, and daily prompts. I’ve set them up with color coding, synced them across devices, and downloaded the perfect fonts. I even paid for premium subscriptions because this one would surely stick.

Predictably, none of them did.

After years of digital starts and stops—of organizing and reorganizing my planning life on screens—I finally have to admit what I’ve been resisting for too long: handwritten is better. For me, anyway.

It’s not that I don’t love tech. I really, really do. I love devices of all shapes and sizes. I admire software that “just works.” I love fast search bars and clean UI. I love the idea of being able to “command + F” my way through my thoughts and have a record of everything in the cloud.

But my brain isn’t really built that way. It's way more analog than I like to admit. It's a bit chaotic. It likes tangibility. It likes being able to scribble in the margins and cross things out with a flourish.

My brain doesn’t want another app icon staring back at it from a glowing screen. It wants paper. And it wants stickers too. Yeah, I said it. Don’t fuck with my stickers. 🤪🦖

And maybe, just maybe, my brain was trying to tell me this all along. I just didn’t want to listen. Sometimes, I can be such a dumbass dude.

THE TACTILE TRUTH

There’s something about putting pen to paper that makes my thoughts feel more real.

Writing things down forces me to slow down—enough to think about what I’m writing, what I actually mean. Even when my handwriting is uneven or messy (which, let’s be honest, it always is), it’s still mine. It’s a little more human.

I’ve heard creatives say this for years. “Just write it down.” “Use a notebook.” “Keep a paper journal.” I rolled my eyes, thinking I was too digitally evolved for that. But turns out, their advice wasn’t old-fashioned—it was timeless, tried and true.

NO NOTIFICATIONS? EVEN BETTER!

When I sit down with a notebook, there’s nothing buzzing or pinging or pulling my attention in five directions. It’s just me and the page.

That quiet, focused space? It’s gold.

My analog planner doesn’t need updates.
My notebook doesn’t crash.
My pen doesn’t need Wi-Fi.

And more than anything, writing by hand gives me space to reflect—not just react.

ON MY HANDWRITING…

My handwriting is neither beautiful nor Pinterest-worthy. But it’s good enough.

Sometimes I can barely read what I wrote the day before. Sometimes I write uphill. Sometimes it smudges. But it doesn’t matter.

Because it’s not about making it look good. It’s about making it real.

BACK TO BASICS = GOING ANALOG

I still use digital tools. I’m not anti-tech. But I’ve learned the hard way that my best thinking, planning, and processing often starts off-screen.

There’s nothing wrong with liking apps or organizing your life digitally—if that works for you. But if, like me, you’ve bounced from app to app and never quite felt settled, maybe it’s time to try the analog route. Again.

Grab a pen. Pick a notebook that feels good in your hands. And start.

Write it down, write it out.
Even if your handwriting sucks.

Keep calm and just do it!
Clint 🌈✌️

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ON THIS DAY = JUNE 25

BIRTHDAYS

• 1852 = Antoni Gaudí = Spanish architect

• 1874 = Rose O'Neill = American cartoonist, illustrator, artist, and writer

• 1903 = George Orwell = British novelist, essayist, and critic

• 1923 = Sam Francis = American soldier and painter

• 1924 = Sidney Lumet = American filmmaker

• 1935 = Larry Kramer = American playwright, novelist, and activist 🌈

• 1943 = Carly Simon = American singer-songwriter

• 1944 = Gary David Goldberg = American screenwriter and producer

• 1945 = Rictor Norton = American writer 🌈

• 1947 = Jimmie Walker = American actor and comedian

• 1952 = Al Parker = American adult film actor and director 🌈

• 1954 = Sonia Sotomayor = American lawyer and jurist

• 1956 = Anthony Bourdain = American chef and author

• 1961 = Ricky Gervais = English comedian, actor, director, producer and singer

• 1963 = George Michael = English singer-songwriter 🌈

• 2002 = Benson Boone = American singer-songwriter

EVENTS

• 1848 = A photograph of the June Days uprising becomes the first known instance of photojournalism.

• 1910 = Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird is premiered in Paris, bringing him to prominence as a composer.

• 1916 = Painter-photographer Thomas Eakins dies in Philadelphia at the age of 71.
  

• 1944 = The final page of the comic Krazy Kat is published, exactly two months after its author George Herriman died.

• 1962 = SCOTUS rules in MANual Enterprises, Inc. v. Day that photos of nude and semi-nude men designed to appeal to homosexuals are not obscene and may be sent through the US Mail. MANual Enterprises, Inc. is owned by H. Lynn Womack and publishes several male physique magazines, including Trim and Vim.
  

• 1967 = Our World, the first live multinational multi-satellite tv production, is broadcast. It features 19 acts representing 19 nations, including The Beatles performing "All You Need Is Love" for the first time.

• 1978 = The rainbow flag representing gay pride is flown for the first time during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.

• 1982 = Blade Runner is released in theaters.

• 1984 = Warner Bros. releases Prince’s six studio album (which is also a soundtrack album) Purple Rain.

• 1993 = Sleepless In Seattle is released in theaters.

• 1993 = What’s Love Got To Do With It is released in theaters.

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• National Catfish Day

• National Leon Day

• Pride Month (ongoing)

PORTRAIT + QUOTES OF THE DAY

“You'll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.”
George Michael

“I try very hard to thank my lucky stars and keep it all in proportion and perspective, but it can be very tiring having a smiley face all day.”
George Michael