Write 250-500 words to a friend. Tell this friend how much you appreciate them. Share what you wrote with no one else but this friend. Don’t talk about it on social media. This is between you and them.

You don’t need to get all lovey dovey mushy wushy. Write about what you see in this person that they don’t see in themselves. Don’t just talk them up. Poke them in the belly. Point out all the stuff that makes them weird, all the idiosyncrasies that you’re so attracted to. Mention their favorite words, fictional characters, music, shows, games. Prove to them that you’ve been paying attention for the last 6 years of this friendship. Dig deep. Recall the best moments you’ve had together. The long car rides. The laughs. All those times you got in trouble together in high school. Write about the worst moments between you two, those times when your friendship was pushed to the brink. Tell them that all the highs and lows of this friendship have greatly enhanced your life.

HARD MODE

Write 250-500 words to a family member. A parent. A sibling. EXTRA HARD MODE: Do this even if your relationship with them sucks.

Why is this the toughest writing challenge?

I’ll answer that question with a question.

How often do you consider doing this?