10 Ways to Show Some Love This February
By the time February rolls around, it can seem like a never-ending parade of romantic love. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating romantic love, it isn’t the only way you can celebrate the love in your life. Love can come in many forms – caring for your community, friendships, supporting causes that matter to you, caring for plants and animals, the list goes on and on. If you need some ideas on ways to bring some love into your life this February, here are our top 10 ideas:
- Join an organization
- What is important to you? There’s probably an organization somewhere that focuses on what matters to you. If you’re stuck, try looking on Meetup.com or at local Facebook events in your area – many places post public events that anyone can attend. Joining an organization that is meaningful to you is a great way to show some self-love – you cared enough to do something important to you. It’s also a nice way to grow a community around you and your shared interest.
- Patronize a local business
- Another great way to spread the love is to shop at local businesses. When you shop local, you can get to know local business owners + support real people in your area. It’s definitely easier and cheaper to order everything online, but it often doesn’t feel like a meaningful interaction. Patronizing a local business is a direct way to support someone’s work and their livelihood.
- Tell people when you’re thinking of them
- How many times have you had a passing thought like this one: “Ha! This meme is so Julia. She’d love it!” And how many times have you actually followed through on the thought? Sending memes is a relatively simple example, but it’s so rewarding to show people that you care about them in any way you can. The next time you have a passing thought about someone you care about, tell them.
- Plant a tree
- Nothing shows love like taking care of the earth. It’s not always easy to show love to people, but the earth can always use some love. Trees are beautiful and important to the environment, and planting one is a delightful way to show your love for nature.
- Volunteer your time
- Is there an organization important to you that could use volunteers? Volunteer work is something that many organizations couldn’t survive without, so showing up for a cause in this way can really make a difference. Volunteer work isn’t always exciting, but it is rewarding and important. Looking for a few ideas to get started? Try Volunteer Match or Seeds of Caring.
- Give a stranger a compliment
- Ready to make someone’s day? A genuine compliment can really make someone feel special and it costs nothing to give. It always feels good to be complimented, and not for nothing – it can make you feel pretty good too.
- Perform a random act of kindness
- Let’s take the previous suggestion one step further – instead of just a compliment, how can you act kindly toward someone? Can you help someone carry something? Pay it forward in line at the coffee shop? Leave water and food out for local strays? Buy someone on the street a hot meal? There are tons of ways to add kindness to the world.
- Donate to a cause that’s meaningful to you
- Acting in line with your values is a great feeling. If you can’t donate your time (or even if you can), most organizations can use the money or goods to keep things running. Whether it’s a one-time thing or a regular contribution, it will definitely help. Looking for a way to fill open needs in your community? Try Neighborhood Bridges.
- Learn about something new
- It’s always magical to hear someone talk about something they’re passionate about. What is that for you? Is there anything else you’re interested in learning? Learning something new can expand your worldview and enrich your life.
- Take time for self-care
- Remember: you can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s hard to bring light and love into the world if you feel burned out, so make sure to take care of yourself. Make it a regular practice so you’re in the habit of caring for yourself.
Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator? Check out our scheduling link here.
We are excited to announce the opening of our second location in Clintonville.
Our Clintonville office is located at:
3857 N. High Street, Ste. 200
Columbus, OH 43214
614-607-0980
Get a sneak peek of the new office in the photos below.
STAFF HIGHLIGHT:
Tina Thome, LPCC, CDCA
(she, her, hers)
Tina is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant who received her Master of Science in Education – Community Counseling from the University of Dayton and a Master of Arts – Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She utilizes a strengths-based and Gestalt perspective to work with you toward reaching your goals and developing skills to carry with you throughout the rest of your life.
Tina’s areas of clinical interest include anxiety, depression, grief and loss, eating disorders, self-esteem, life transitions, and trauma.
Below are Tina’s staff recommendations:
Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction by Matthew Kelly
Do you struggle to balance your work life and your personal life? You’re not alone. We’ve been hearing for years about ‘balancing’ everything on our plates, but what if it’s not about balance at all? Instead, the author of this book focuses on satisfaction, setting up a system that you can use to gauge your overall satisfaction.
My Pocket Positivity: Anytime Exercises That Boost Optimism, Confidence, and Possibility by Courtney E. Ackerman
If you’re focused on bringing more positivity into your life, this little book could be your new best friend! It contains 140 exercises that are designed to help boost your confidence, improve your day, inspire hope, and leave you feeling empowered to make real positive changes in your life.
Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator? Check out our scheduling link here.