it’s happening, and you’re part of it

If you're seeing this note, it's because you are a valuable part of the mindful writing revolution. You generously contributed resources—time, ideas, enthusiasm and more—to furthering AllSwell’s mission of bringing people to the page. Thank you for your participation. 

I’ve been proselytizing on behalf of analog creativity and intentional journaling for over a decade. I’m pleased to share that we're experiencing a promising cultural shift away from enthusiastically ceding our attention to devices. There’s a change brewing globally and I’m honored to be part of it, alongside each one of you. We’re doing it together. 

To that end, some encouraging news…

• Social media use is on the decline internationally. Its peak was in 2024, with younger generations leading the change away from social media use. 

• “Swiping fatigue” became a thing, and Gen Z started ditching dating apps in favor of real-life run-ins.  

• Tighter cell phone restrictions and all-out bans at U.S. schools in both red and blue states have been enacted. 

• Having no social media presence is now considered more aspirational than having a large number of followers, particularly amongst millennials. 

• Books are trending, with Miu Miu Literary Club and Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club as lead indicators of a bigger shift back to the page.

• Culture is reclaiming creative experiences. During fashion week, The Row established a policy of zero cell phone use at their show. Similarly, musicians from Jack White to Adele, Beyonce and Bob Dylan – and even NYC nightclubs – are banning smartphones at concerts and on the dancefloor. 

• Screen-free social zones, “Offline Clubs,” are popping up. First established in the Netherlands and joined by chapters across Europe, including London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin, Lisbon, and Copenhagen.

• “Dumbphones” (no apps or internet, just calling and texting), old school flip phones and even landlines are considered digital minimalism status symbols. 

And yes, the perception of longhand journaling has also shifted from a lightweight, marginal practice to an aspirational one. A wide range of celebrated figures—from Lady Gaga to Warren Buffett and a whole bunch of Olympians—have revealed the importance of their regular journaling practice. It’s become part of a life well-lived and celebrated as an effective tool for gaining a competitive edge.

I am grateful for all of it, and for you. Thank you for making space for the simple yet infinite act of pen-to-paper journaling in your businesses, homes, communities, and in your own lives. Together, we supported the mental and emotional well-being of humans who are trying to be their best. 

Over the holidays, I hope you’re able to set a little time aside to crack a notebook and see what emerges. As always, if I can support you in that journey, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Again, thank you for contributing to this wave of positive change. The revolution is far from over. There is work to be done. I look forward to accomplishing more positive milestones in the new year, together. 

In Swellness,

Laura

A human wrote this. No AI was used in the creation of this newsletter. 

SOURCES:

1 “Have we passed peak social media?” Financial Times, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.ft.com/content/a0724dd9-0346-4df3-80f5-d6572c93a863

2 Sydney Lake, Fortune, “Dating apps are doomed because Gen Z is locked in on meet-cutes…”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://fortune.com/2025/11/06/dating-apps-doomed-former-hinge-leader-says-gen-z-meet-in-person/

3 Newsweek, “Map Shows US States With School Phone Bans”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-us-states-school-phone-bans-2090411

4 Newsweek, “The Latest Millennial Staple to Become Uncool? Being Online”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/gen-z-millennials-leave-social-media-offline-internet-2047044

5 Service95, https://www.service95.com/book-club

6 Jake Silbert, High Snobiety, “The Row Banned Cell Phones from Its Runway Show”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/the-row-social-media-ban/

7 Matt Manser, Ranker, “Musicians And Bands Who Don't Allow Phones At Their Shows”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.ranker.com/list/bands-who-ban-phones-at-shows/matt-manser

8 Alexandra E. Petri, The New York Times, “‘Everyone’s in Sync’: Phone Ban on NYC Dance Floors Is Getting Rave Reviews”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/nyregion/nyc-nightlife-no-phones.html

9 Dan Pontefract, Forbes, “The Offline Club’s Quest Against Digital Overload”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/danpontefract/2024/04/11/the-offline-clubs-quest-against-digital-overload/

10 The Offline Club, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.theoffline-club.com/city-hangouts#section_offline_hangouts

11 Amy Francombe, Vogue, “How ‘Unplugging’ Became Luxury’s Most Valuable Currency”, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.vogue.com/article/how-unplugging-became-luxurys-most-valuable-currency

12 James Tapper and Aneesa Ahmed, The Guardian, The ‘boring phone’: stressed-out gen Z ditch smartphones for dumbphones, Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/27/the-boring-phone-stressed-out-gen-z-ditch-smartphones-for-dumbphones

13 Grace Goulding, Olympics, “The power of the journal: Olympians' secret to success,” Accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.olympics.com/en/news/power-of-the-notebook-olympians-secret-to-success