There may be many friends—from childhood classmates to work acquaintances—who (despite the best of intentions) we lost touch with over the years. We think of them often, recall warm memories and wonder what they’re up to today. Even in this age of social media, it can sometimes still be difficult to locate people after name changes and not everyone uses social networks to keep in touch. But when contact information is available, why is it so hard to take that first step to reach out?

Enter the heartfelt note.

Writing a personal, handwritten note is a great solution to reaching out to long-lost friends. Whether in a birthday or holiday greeting card or just an unprompted note to say, “I’m thinking about you,” receiving a special note makes us feel important and loved.

So why not give that great feeling to a friend or family member that you’re missing? It only takes a few minutes and costs next to nothing, but the impact to your relationship will be long-lasting.

To help you out in this process, we’ve consulted our greeting card writers and relationship experts for some helpful tips on how to write a meaningful message every time.

First off:

• Try playing some music that gets you in the mood for the type of note you’d like to write, whether it’s touching and heartfelt or upbeat and fun.
• Think back to experiences you’ve shared together—that outing you took, the time they gave you really great advice or even a shoulder to cry on. You should focus not only on the event, but how it made you feel and the impact it had on your life.
• If you need some help walking down memory lane, try revisiting old photos and looking through mementoes.

Next:

• Create a list of words that describe your friend, as well as notable personality quirks that make them unique. These words can help to create a handy reference guide if you encounter writer’s block.
• Start with a quick draft on scrap paper before penning the final note on your card or stationery. Try writing a few simple sentences that describe what your friendship means, how grateful you are, and what makes them so exceptional.
• Just remember, no masterpiece was written on the first try. So don’t get frustrated if your first version doesn’t turn out as perfect as you’d like it to be. As you write more notes to friends and family in each birthday and holiday card, it will steadily start to become more natural to you.

Finally:

• When you’re ready to write, select a nice pen and some beautiful stationery or a great card.
• Penmanship counts! Take your time to carefully write the note so that every letter is clear. Since this is something they’re likely to keep (and possibly even display), you’ll want your handwriting to look its very best!
• If, after all this effort, the words still don’t come, you can always head to the greeting card aisle and select a sentiment that best expresses what you would like to say. Then underline the words that stand out to you and jot a short note inside to let them know that you really mean what’s written on the card.

With a little practice, you can become known as the person who always writes sweet sentiments in notes and cards. Each time you write a personal message, it will become easier to get to the root of what makes your relationship unique so that you can express it most effectively. Happy writing!

Who is on your list of people to reconnect with? Share your stories of long-lost friends in our comments section!