Hello, my beautiful friend.
Today, I send you a surprise package in the mail, your address handwritten by someone you love.
I send you dusk, a cozy reading chair, and a new book.
I send you a hot mug of “nutcracker tea” that tastes like Christmas, even though it is almost February and all the decorations have long been boxed up.
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Welcome to your Sunday audio LoveGram.
My audio today is all about how we learn to love better.
How do we cultivate and nurture relationships? How do we connect more deeply with friends and family?
(To listen to the audio, just click over to this page, scroll down, and hit “play” on the audio player.)
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This conversation started yesterday on Facebook. I posted after I received a box from my mom. It was filled with good fiction books, a hand-embroidered towel with colorful flowers, some popcorn from the Amish market near her, a pair of new socks, and some butterscotch hard candies.
I had texted her: “Thanks for the box filled with all my favorite things!”
She texted me back, “You are my favorite thing. Lava Mom.
My mom is such a great example of how to nurture relationships. She always remembers people’s favorite treats and sends surprise boxes just because. She includes loving cards in her boxes. She remembers funny inside jokes, like “Lava you,” which came from some animated film we saw years ago — and which is now “our thing.”
And she shows up with love in such beautiful ways, like that oh-so-dear response to me about ME being her favorite thing.
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I tell you all of this because it really doesn’t take a lot of TIME to love the people in our lives more deeply.
It really just takes a wholeheartedness, like my mom has.
It takes remembering to give our relationships just a couple extra moments of our attention by reaching out with a shared joke, an endearment, or a favorite memory.
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How do we learn to love better?
- Acknowledge that love and relationships are a priority in your life.
- Set an intention to be someone who practices love.
- Pay attention to what feels good to you. Notice what tugs at your heart or what makes you feel seen and appreciated.
- Pay attention to what other people are saying. Listen to what they need.
- Create spaciousness so there is room for creativity or for life to whisper ideas in your ear.
- Take immediate action what an idea pops in.
- Notice what resonates with your friend or family member.
- Rinse and repeat.
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Thank you for sharing my values of appreciation, love, and celebration.
Thank you for being someone who is interested in creating more joy for yourself and for others.
I’m curious if you think there are other aspects to loving better that I could share with others in our community. If so, email me!
Also, in my audio note to you, I ask you if you have some ideas about how you learned to love. Do you know? Email me that, too!
I’m grateful to you for being by my side.
Seek celebration — even in dark corners,
xoSherry