Start Here
Welcome to Heartspoken
“Connection is why we’re here.”
Those words from researcher Brené Brown started me thinking about the connections in my own life, and I came to see that everything important to me grew from four of them: connection with God, with others, with self, and with nature. Heartspoken is where I explore those four connections and share practical ways to strengthen them.
My work with handwritten notes and letters began as one way to connect with others, and it has grown into a book, a weekly newsletter (“The HEARTSPOKEN Note”), a podcast, and a community of people who believe in the power of a personal note.
The Four Essential Connections
Each connection has its own collection of articles. Begin wherever you feel drawn.
Connect with God
Faith that informs our choices and our actions, drawing on wisdom from my own tradition and others.
Connect with Others
The relationships, personal and professional, that shape the quality and character of our lives.
Connect with Self
Knowing what makes us happy, sad, or angry, so we can live in line with our highest values.
Connect with Nature
Seeing ourselves as part of the natural world, appreciating its beauty, and caring enough to protect it.
Notes and Letters That Connect
A handwritten note is one of the simplest and most lasting ways to strengthen a connection with someone else. My book, HEARTSPOKEN: How to Write Notes That Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire, shows you how to write with confidence for every occasion, from a quick thank-you to a condolence note.
Do You Lead a Small Nonprofit?
Handwritten notes help small nonprofits build lasting relationships with donors, volunteers, and board members. You’ll find practical answers to common questions, monthly Nonprofit Action Calendars, and a membership designed for leaders like you.
Stay Connected
The HEARTSPOKEN Note
My free weekly newsletter on Substack, with ideas for notes, letters, and all things epistolary.
HEARTSPOKEN, the Podcast
Listen to my letters read aloud each week, on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
HEARTSPOKEN Memberships
Go deeper with the Heartspoken Circle for general note and letter writers and the Professional Circle for nonprofit leaders.
Meet Elizabeth
I’m Elizabeth Cottrell, and connection runs through every part of my life:
Writer • Blogger • Wife • Mother • Friend • Encourager • Note/Letter Writer • Virginian • Birder • Alto • Guitar/Piano Player • Community Activist • W4EHC