In the hectic world we live in today, it can be hard to find time to show our love to the people around us, whether it be strangers, or our dearest family and friends. Yet, acts of love don’t have to be grand to show the people in our lives how important they are to us and our well-being. Personally, I find the simplest acts of love to make me smile the most, because anything that allows for genuine human connection is the best way to give and feel love.
Food!!:
Food has been a way for people to connect with others and share their love across different cultures for all of time, and bonding over food is one of the best ways to experience love. One way is to go out with someone you love and try a new restaurant or cafe you’ve been meaning to visit. Or, you could hit up one of your cult classics, asking the people you love where their favorite comfort food is. Another fun thing is to bake or cook with a loved one. With a kitchen, an assortment of ingredients, and the internet, you can figure out how to make anything given a recipe and a strong will :) You can also cook something yourself for your loved ones, impressing them with your tender care in the product of the finished meal. But ultimately, eating and talking amongst plates of food with those you love is a little way to show your love, even if it’s a fancy dinner or a quick bite in between classes.
DIYs:
Who isn’t a sucker for handmade things?! We all have our own unique artistic skills, and creating or crafting something using our own personal artistry is a way to show someone that we are willing to put in time, no matter how much, to create something combining one’s own creative flair to make something catered to another’s personality. Crochet, painting, sewing, paper crafts; whatever it is, make something and give it to someone you love for them to cherish forever.
Give a media recommendation:
Movies, music, books: media is often what gets us through our days. Oftentimes the media we consume in our busy lives consists of mostly social media, but turning back to more long-form and story-driven content can teach us a lot about ourselves and the world around us. Thus, you can show some love by giving the gift of art. This can be your favorite book, a personalized show recommendation that you know someone will love, or curating a playlist for someone to introduce them to new artists and songs you think they’ll like. A great idea would be to burn them a CD: giving them a collection of songs that remind you of them.
Show love to the Earth:
The earth is our ultimate home. With its amazing natural beauties and resources, the earth does so much for us, giving us the ground we walk on, the sky above, the flowers in the grass, and much more. Being more
conscious of what we do and its impact on the earth can create a happier and more loving world overall. Buy second-hand; you can get some pretty cool stuff, while also reducing clothing waste. Plant a tree. Hug a tree. Spend time and admire nature’s beauty. Pick up some trash.
Send a surprise:
Call up someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Even better, video call them, so you can see their face and they can see yours, allowing you both to feel more connected. Plan to hang out with someone you rarely spend one-on-one time with. Mail a letter to someone, whether they live halfway across the world or within the same city as you. Send someone a funny GIF or Instagram meme that reminds you of them.
Spend quality time:
Sing karaoke. Play Just Dance. Roam around a bookstore. Watch a movie together. Go on a fun adventure. Pick some flowers. Retell stories from the past, whether that be things from your own lives or events you experienced together way back when. Spend time doing the things your little siblings or cousins always beg you to do with them, even if it’s playing Fortnite or chasing them around. Anything that makes you laugh, and mutually forget about everything else that may be stressing you out in life.
Tell those you love how much you love them:
Especially your elders, your parents, those who have shared their wisdom to guide you through life. Even though it can be hard to express our feelings to family when complicated relationships exist, reminding them of how much they mean to you is important.
To strangers:
Hold the door open for people. Hide handmade bookmarks in a library for people to find. Don’t be shy; share that compliment. Smile, and watch them smile back.
To yourself:
Look at yourself in the mirror and say 3 positive things about yourself. Get yourself that little sweet treat, and don’t feel guilty about it. Give yourself time to practice self-care, and spend time doing what you love. Because ultimately, you have to love yourself too. Don’t forget that.
