Imagine yourself sitting in the shade by a gorgeous villa, looking out to sea. The endless horizon reminds you of the first line on a clean, crisp page in a brand new notebook. You take a sip of an excellent wine, remove the lid from your favourite pen, and start to write… We don’t know about you, but amidst the daily grind, we often find our mind drifting to a ‘happy place’ where we have the time, energy and inclination to sit down and write that novel we’ve been dreaming about.

Even if you’re not in the South of France right now, the relaxing benefits of writing still apply. Who hasn’t considered keeping a diary to offload the stresses and strains of the week? Jotting ideas, thoughts and even a short story or two can be one of the best ways to stimulate your imagination, distract yourself from daily stresses, and transport you to another place. It’s another form of mindfulness, and can even be used to combat anxiety. Start thinking of your writing as ‘meditation in motion’, and you never know where it will take you. If you’re planning on exploring writing as a tool for relaxation, having the right stationery can be both a necessity and a pleasure. After all, using a well-designed pen - one that fits perfectly to your hand, leaving a smooth and confident line - is one of life’s true joys.

Choosing Calming Stationery

Did you know that colour has the ability to directly affect your mood? According to Colour Theory, our favourite shades have properties that can influence certain elements of our personality and outlook. Selecting stationery in a colour that reflects your intention can help to ease you into a positive mind set, and can even tell you a little bit more about what’s going on under the surface.

“Whatever you choose for your stationery is your favourite colour because it’s where you pour your heart out.” – Mary E. Pearson

Blue

is thought to be intellectual, and can encourage feelings of trust, efficiency and serenity. If you need to be thinking logically, blues will stimulate clear thought, helping when you need to make choices, solve problems, or deconstruct the big picture. Choose pale or transparent blues to calm the mind and aid concentration:

Green

is linked to balance, and is thought to be reassuring. The eye finds it easy to see green, which means that you don’t have to work too hard to interpret it. Historically, the presence of greenery has indicated that there is water nearby, so it relaxes us on a primitive level. Choose green for journaling, as it will help you to understand complex thoughts and feelings in a more measured way:

Violet

is connected with spirituality, and is thought to encourage visions of truth and authenticity. It has the shortest wavelength of all the colours, so will elevate your awareness to a higher plane. Perfect for when you need to engage in deep contemplation or meditation, it is also traditionally linked to luxury and quality. Choose purple when you need to write from the heart, or for jotting down your dreams:

Earthy Neutrals

such as white, beige, or brown can invoke feelings of support and warmth. Clean and sophisticated, they are simple enough to leave space for you to explore whatever you need, while still feeling confident and encouraged. Choose these colours when you want a reliable tool that will make you feel mature and respected:

Of course, colour is not the only quality of an excellent piece of stationery.

To get the most enjoyable possible writing experience, you might also want to think about the following factors:

• Does it have ergonomic features so that it will be comfortable to write with for long periods of time?
• Is it made of tactile, natural materials such as wood or leather, which remind you of the earth?
• What colour ink does it use, and does this reflect the nature of what you think you want to write? There are so many more options than just black or blue.
• Does the flow of ink reflect the pace of your thoughts? Fluid ink flow pens might help you to get it all out, while fountain pens force you to write in a slower, more considered way.

Whatever relaxation goals you’re pursuing, the right stationery can help you reach them.