In mid-2019, while working as a program manager at a health tech company in California, North Bend local Anna Sullivan faced a recurring issue: constant travel. Missing significant moments in the lives of those she cared about led to the creation of Pidge Post.
“I’ve been a writer forever and have sent cards/letters most of my life but had lost touch with that practice,” she recalls. Realizing the difficulty of remembering, finding, and sending a card, she and her business partner developed a subscription service to simplify this process.
Launched on a whim during the early days of COVID, Pidge Post quickly became a unique connective space as social lives moved online. This shift led her to delve deeper into the impact of handwritten cards, discovering the profound restorative nature of card writing.
From Cards to Mindfulness
“Handwriting stimulates our brains more than typing; we literally experience positive, connective emotions more strongly via card-writing than over text or email,” Anna explains.
This realization led her to explore the broader science of human flourishing, diving into topics like rest, creativity, mindfulness, and the importance of mindlessness.
Initially, Pidge Post was viewed as a tech company centered on offline human connection. However, during COVID, it became clear that writing cards is more profound and restorative. Card-writing fosters gratitude, empathy, and reflection, bringing presence and peace.
Qualifications and Experience in Mindfulness
Anna’s foundation lies in writing. With a BA in Creative Writing, she has always been a writer at heart. However, after graduating and working in tech, writing for fun took a back seat. The move to North Bend, coupled with the onset of COVID and becoming a mom, marked a turning point.
Battling postpartum depression and a sense of loneliness, Anna sought small ways to be well. Therapy, expert resources, and books led her to practices like Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages,” which became a remarkable changemaker.
Since 2021, she has honed her ethos of well-being into a livable, writing-centered practice. Engaging daily, sharing through workshops, and bringing her understanding of holistic well-being into businesses, writing remains foundational to her approach, complemented by concepts of movement, nature, play, and rest.
Finding a Home in the Snoqualmie Valley
Being part of the Snoqualmie Valley community for five years has been transformative. Originally from the East Coast, Anna and her family lived in various cities before settling in North Bend in September 2019. When moving to the area, she was convinced they would live in Seattle, needing the bustle and breadth of a city to feel at home.
However, during their house-hunting visit, her husband Connor suggested looking at North Bend. “As soon as we got out of the car at Rattlesnake, we both felt like, ‘we need to live here,’” Anna recalls. Nature and community drew them to the area. “The nature is so inspiring. I love the way Mt Si changes daily based on the cloud cover, how some days it’s not even there due to fog,” she shares.
Anna loves how cold and clear the river is, and Rattlesnake’s lack of cell service allows her to be fully present in nature, whether running, hiking, biking, or swimming. Ambling around with her kids, picking huckleberries or blackberries, and seeing various animals peacefully existing enhances the connection to the wilderness.
“Nature is so core to everything; feeling connected to the wilderness we evolved from is tied to the connection between our heads, hearts, and hands when we write. It’s all very animal, very human,” she explains.
The Birth of Rest Fest
Within the Pidge ethos lies a core belief structure: rest is a human right and necessity, not something we need to earn. Rest Fest was born from a desire to create space for people to acknowledge and nourish their need for rest. The idea of productivity equaling value is a recipe for disaster, and Rest Fest challenges that notion.
Scheduled at Rainbow Lodge on Sunday, September 8th, Rest Fest is designed to provide a daylong immersive experience focused on rest and mindfulness. The location, with its private trails, meadows, and labyrinth, is perfect for the event. The goal is for participants to discover new elements of rest, find tiny ways to incorporate rest into their daily lives and connect with facilitators for future classes.
Evolving Rest Fest
While the first Rest Fest is kept simple to help participants get their bearings, future events are envisioned with multiple tracks or multi-day retreats focusing on specific rest pathways. Each workshop at Rest Fest is designed to help participants slow down and pay attention.
The act of noticing—how our bodies feel, our breath moves, our senses, beliefs, and dreams—is a powerful form of rest.
Phones are not allowed at Rest Fest to ensure total immersion in the experience. Participants can choose silent or out-loud engagement, depending on what helps them rest better. The itinerary provides structure, but participants are welcome to nap in the meadow or a hammock.
Community and Connection
Rest Fest aims to be an accessible retreat for local participants, introducing them to new practitioners and community groups. The event also hopes to provide a thoughtful appreciation of land and community, as the Snoqualmie people encourage.
The community’s appreciation for living in such a beautiful place has helped her reconnect with how she wants to live her—in the words of Mary Oliver— “one wild and precious life.” Sullivan says North Bend is full of creative and thoughtful people.
Businesses like Pearl & Stone, Black Dog Arts Café, Volition, and libraries open their doors for artists to host workshops and classes, often free. People like Anne Granderson at The Village Project create access through childcare. “I feel like this community gathers together in a way that’s really special, and I love being part of that,” Anna enthuses.
Personal Rest and Mindfulness Practices
For Anna, rest is a practice. She tries to write her morning pages at least four days a week, creating a ritual around tea, journaling, and disconnecting from devices. Daily outdoor activities, savoring small moments, and embracing imperfection are part of her approach to rest. Despite the challenges of having young children, she finds ways to incorporate rest and mindfulness into her daily life.
Her advice for those struggling to find time for rest includes understanding their relationship to rest, removing pressure, and practicing the intention to slow down. Simple acts like sitting on a park bench, lying on the ground, or walking among trees can provide powerful moments of rest.
The Role of Writing
Anna’s writing journey began in her teenage years and has been a constant. Writing is foundational in Pidge Post, fostering connection through handwritten notes. Writing serves to center participants in her workshops and events, offering a moving meditation that opens them up to presence and experience.
Immense fulfillment is found in creating spaces where people can unwind and rest. Participant feedback often includes emotional revelations and connections, highlighting the profound impact of writing.
As one corporate client succinctly said, “This stuff is radically simple and simply radical.”
Anna Sullivan’s journey with Pidge Post and the creation of Rest Fest exemplify the power of handwritten connection and the importance of rest in our busy lives. Her dedication to fostering community, mindfulness, and well-being continues to inspire and create lasting impact in the Snoqualmie Valley and beyond.
[Look for more content from Anna as a contributing writer in the future!]
