Someone’s birthday is coming up. You want to say something meaningful. But you sit there staring at a blank card and nothing comes out right.

Here’s what I do now. I open ChatGPT and type this prompt:

“Write a warm, heartfelt birthday message for my [sister/friend/coworker]. She is turning [age]. We [describe your relationship — e.g., ‘have been friends for 20 years’ or ‘work closely together’]. Keep it genuine and personal, about 3–4 sentences.”

In about 15 seconds, you’ll have a message that sounds like you — but better. Read it over, tweak one or two words to make it yours, and you’re done.

No more staring at a blank page. No more generic “Happy Birthday!” and nothing else. Just a message that makes someone feel seen — in 30 seconds flat.

Try it for the next birthday on your calendar. I think you’ll be surprised how good it feels to finally say exactly the right thing.

— Brian