Take advantage of the love fest in a different way

Even in the most mundane aspects of our everyday life, love may be found in a number of shapes and forms. For example, we can feel love in friends’ compassion as they console us when a coworker provides a helping hand when we feel we can’t handle things on our own, or when we are playing and snuggling with our pets.

Why not take advantage of this opportunity to perform small acts of kindness for people dear to us at a time when we need to care for ourselves and others more than ever?

Here are some suggestions:

The first love is for you. It’s not at all selfish to take some time off for yourself to do something you enjoy. Recharging your batteries ever so often is even necessary. Take some time this Valentine’s Day to pamper yourself and care for yourself because you deserve it! Have you run out of ideas? Plan a soothing evening by placing a takeout order from your preferred restaurant, watching a calming film, and then unwinding in a sumptuous, ultra-calming bubble bath. Go shopping. Give yourself permission to splurge a little. Buy yourself something special that you always wanted for yourself. Make a list of 3 things that you love about yourself. Whether it’s a part of your body, something about your personality, or a special talent you have – write it down and show yourself some love. Be selfish and do something that makes you happy without caring about what others might think of you. It could be a yoga class, Zumba session, or cooking. The point is, you, do you.

Happiness in our love nest. The pandemic might have strained your relationship because everyone was working from home. Valentine’s Day is the ideal occasion to break from the norm and indulge in a little extravagance as you celebrate the miracle of your relationship. Why not have formal gatherings for yourself at your house? Put on some clothes, put a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator, and order a fine-dining meal suitable for a king or queen. Don’t forget to catch this lovely occasion on camera with a few pictures.

Loving on our little ones. In your family, showing affection is something that happens frequently, even in the tiniest actions. Why not make Valentine’s Day a huge celebration of love to please your young children and school-aged kids? To manufacture decorations for the house, such as garlands or greeting cards, assist the kids. For each member of the family, you can include heartfelt messages and praises. Prepare red foods for the day to make it even more joyful, and don’t forget to give lots of hugs!

Asserting our friends with gratitude. They support us in both good and bad times, which makes our friends so priceless. Take the time to appreciate your friendships on Valentine’s Day. This is the ideal time to send a heartfelt note of appreciation to each of your pals, praising them for their encouragement, openness to your ideas, or sense of humor. Mention how having them in your life has improved it. Your letter is complete once you’ve included hilarious stories and images you’ve shot together. It’s a given that you’ll make others happy.

Increasing our contact with those who loved us first. Parental and geriatric love is so wonderful and priceless because it is unconditional. Since the first day they took care of you, they have been able to watch you develop and flourish. Take this opportunity to let them know you care about them on Valentine’s Day. By gathering the pictures you have of them, you may show them your thanks and affection. Then, you can send the photo album together with a heartfelt note. They’ll be excited to share all those lovely experiences with you when you look back on them.

Thanking those who are a part of our daily life. Our ability to collaborate with our co-workers differently as a result of working from home has taught us to think of them as family. Express your gratitude for their support and thoughtfulness to them this Valentine’s Day. Why not provide them with a coupon that they may use to purchase a homemade meal or a restaurant meal at a later date? It’s always appreciated when people make little gestures like this! Offer your favorite workers a delicious baked treat or a lovely plant to spruce up their workplace, if your work environment permits.

Spoiling our fur children. Through the good times and the bad, our four-legged friends never judge us and always stand by our sides. They’ve had to adjust to our increased house presence in recent months as they’ve frequently joined us for our numerous video sessions. That’s not always simple to do! Give them a special treat or a fun new toy on Valentine’s Day. There will be kisses!

Rendering love to those who most deserve it. Why not show some love to people outside of your network that is in need if your circumstances permit it? There are a lot of people and important causes that could use some love and support, whether your heart goes out to homeless families, elderly people living alone, or animals in shelters. If you want to lend a hand, you can volunteer a few hours of your time, bring extra food to community kitchens, or donate to an organization that you care about. It’s incredibly satisfying to give. What a wonderful method of sharing the love!

(Husain Minawala, Founder of Beyond Thoughts)

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

–IANS
husain/lh/tb