Love can be very, very playful. Isn’t that love at its best, really?
Today I offer you 4 playful challenges or invitations to activate more love and joy in your life this month.
#1: Tell 5 people why you love them or their work.
The first challenge is to tell 5 people that you don’t (yet) know why you love them or their work.
VERBALLY.
Yes, like generating sounds and expressing them through your face. Ha!
This could mean reaching out to someone to leave an audio chat or a voicemail.
Or, for extra love points, it could mean saying it to their face, in person or on a video call.
You can substitute these words for “love”
💜 admire
❤️ respect
💜 appreciate
❤️ support
This is such a great challenge because it spreads love and maybe invites you to be a little vulnerable and courageous…which is a type of self-love. Reaching out honors our desire to connect. So this challenge is win-win!
#2: Send a paper love note using snail mail. Yeah, with a stamp!
Consider sending:
❤️ A romantic love note
💜 A note of encouragement to a family member
❤️ A note of appreciation to a friend, colleague or even a local business owner.
I find that sitting down to write a handwritten note activates the most beautiful feeling of thought-full connection. I imagine the person receiving the note and how they might receive it.
Love notes are a fun way to bring a loving gesture into the world.
Imagine each person who touches it getting a blessing as the note travels through many hands to its destination.
#3: Apologize. Release pain.
A very powerful way to create love in the world is to release pain.
Transmute the pain into love.
Is there something that you have been wanting to apologize for, to yourself or another person?
Maybe today’s the day.
See what happens when you release regret or forgive.
Is love created in that space?
#4: Do something really, really, really loving and kind for yourself.
What would be a very loving gesture you could give yourself?
Did something pop to mind? Or did your mind draw a blank?
Here are a handful of suggestions:
💜 dance to your favorite song
❤️ make a healthful, delicious meal for yourself
💜 give yourself a hug (don’t knock this – it works!)
❤️ tell yourself how much you love and believe in yourself
💜 spend 10 minutes outside looking into the distance
❤️ write a letter to future you in 2 years
💜 turn off notifications
❤️ forgive yourself for a past choice, if it’s time to do so
Have fun! Create love! Play!
I hope these challenges are joy-full, even the ones that might ask you to be brave.
Bravery and love…what companions those two feelings are. ❤️💜
Go make the world the place you want to live in today.
P.S. I invite you to fall in love with the “Less Stress, More Fun” podcast. Subscribe today! Each week’s episodes offer smart, fun ideas to reduce stress and boost your sense of playfulness.