DIY Optimism

Make a sign that reads, “Take what you need,” with tear-off tabs on the bottom that say, “love,” “courage,” “optimism,” and so on. Hang it up in places you regularly pass by. Keep refills at the ready!

Be the Light in Dark Days

Sometimes we all feel deflated or overwhelmed, someone hurts us or disappoints us, or we hear bad news about a loved one’s medical condition. On those days, when you feel your light has gone out, remember there is always a glimmer of hope and something to be thankful for. Alberty Schweitzer said it well: “Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”

Organize a Family Reunion

Get everyone together and spend a day at a park or one of your houses. Have a barbecue, play games, catch up on each other’s lives. It’s hard to stay in touch on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis, so find a day where you can all reconnect. Set up a round-robin reunion so that everyone takes a turn and makes sure the closeness continues, year after year.

Offer Unconditional Positive Regard

Be accepting. No matter a person’s race, age, culture, or sexual orientation, accept everyone for who they are. Embrace the beauty of humanity and our myriad differences. By opening your eyes and mind to the possibility of love and friendship, new people will flow into your life and change your perspective in miraculous ways.

People Are Resources,Too

Make plans to go to a local nursing home and visit an elderly resident who hasn’t gotten a visitor lately. Receiving extra one-on-one attention can be very rewarding for the resident and you’ll be surprised how interesting their life is once you start talking to them. Especially with the holiday’s coming, think of those who might not have family nearby who would love good company at this time of year. Nine times out of ten, you will end up receiving much more than you give to these elders, who have wisdom, stories, advice, and love to offer.

A Litter of Love

    June is the ASPCA’s Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat month. Millions of cats roam our streets. Some are looking for a kind person to take them in and give them a new home. This population swells at this time of year since shelters are overflowing with all the kittens born during the springtime. Shelter cats make excellent companions. However, just as cats give people love and companionship, humans need to care for their cat and provide her with an appropriate loving home. Careful research and planning is the key to adopting the right cat for your family, since adopting one should never be an impulse decision and indoor felines can live up to 20 years.

Love Your Mother

    Mother's Day is all about love, so shouldn't have to be only once a year. Celebrate your mother today and every day. Make her feel special and loved by taking her out to lunch or a mani/pedi. Spending time together will make every moment a fond memory you two can cherish for a long time. For your friends who may have lost their mother, check in with them. Spread the love far and wide so everyone can have that holiday magic.

True Love Does Not Require a Diamond

    Precious gems and metals leave a horrific trail of pollution and human rights abuses. Not much more needs to be said about this one without getting into some seriously depressing territory, but we cannot discuss jewelry without acknowledging that many people pay a steep price in order to mine, produce, and export all those shiny little rocks we coyly call “a girl’s best friend.” There are so many ways to show your love and no suffering should be involved. Ever.

I Just Called To Say I Love You

    Call your parents (or whoever raised you) and thank them for everything they did for you!

Valentine’s Day

    It’s that sometimes-anticipated-by-couples-yet-often-dreaded-by-singles day of the year! In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, send an anonymous letter or bouquet of flowers to someone special to you-your mom, your recently-divorced best friend. This deliberate act of kindness will last long after the 14th as the memory lingers on.

    PS: A really nice thing to do the night before Valentine’s Day is to offer to watch a friend or neighbor’s children so they can run errands or spend time with their significant other.

What the World Needs Now

    Tell someone close to you how much you love them, even if you’re sure they already know.

Love Lifts You Up

    If you have frequent flier miles you are not planning to use, give them to service members who have been injured in the line of duty and need to be flown to proper medical treatment. This can also enable family members to visit them. Check out fisherhouse.org to discover all you need to know about Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles Program. Love has an enormous power to heal, so sharing your unused miles stretches your love a mighty long way!

Blanket the World With Love

    Do you remember Linus of the venerated Peanuts cartoon? His love for his blanket shows how universal that love for just the right soft cloth can be. My mom and aunts are amazing quilters. They can seemingly take anything and make a gorgeous, collectible quilt from it. Even if you, like me, lack that “quilting gene,” you can blanket the world with your love and good intentions by collecting them for donation. I put a call out and got a ton of nice comforters to donate to Project Linus, at projectlinus.org. This nurturing organization sends cozy quilts and oh-so-warm blankets to kids in shelters, hospices, hospitals, and wherever the cloaking comfort of love might be needed. My mom recently made a quilt of some of my crazy outfits from the eighties, so I can only hope that the beneficiaries of Project Linus have a good sense of humor and a love of neon colors!

Night Time Is the Right Time

    If you think back to your childhood, I bet a favorite plush toy or a “blankie” is involved. The safety and comfort you and I might have enjoyed are not guaranteed for all, so let’s blanket children with love. A donation of $25 to Project Night Night (projectnightnight.org) funds a nice tote bag with a blankie and a book by a top children’s author for a homeless child.

Dad's Big Day

    On June 19, 1910, the governor of the state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first Father’s Day. However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Celebrate your father today by making him feel special and loved with a homemade gift or meal. For your friends who may have lost their father, check in with them as this day may be difficult. Perhaps you can connect them with the many “rad dads” at senior centers who are elders with wonderful stories and few family members.

True Love Does Not Require a Diamond

    Precious gems and metals leave a horrific trail of pollution and human rights abuses. Not much more needs to be said about this one without getting into some seriously depressing territory, but we cannot discuss jewelry without acknowledging that many people pay a steep price in order to mine, produce, and export all those shiny little rocks we coyly call "a girl's best friend." There are so many ways to show your love and no suffering should be involved. Ever

National Pet Day

    If you have a pet, make sure you give them attention every day. Even if you can afford to only spend ten minutes with them, that time is enough to show them that you care and to make them feel loved. Pets need love as much as people do. The responsibility of caring for your pet's life includes dedicating time and affection toward them.

Use Your Words

    I read all the time as a child, and by that I mean every minute I wasn't at school, doing chores or homework, or sleeping, I had the cover of a book open. I developed a love of language that has lasted me a lifetime. I noticed that it brings joy to others when they hear an interesting or pretty word. So try flipping through a dictionary every day and pick a word. Use this word at least once in the same day. This will help expand your vocabulary and communicate better with others. If you have a smartphone, download a free word-of-the-day app instead of using a dictionary. Help feed a child by adding a definition to the Online Dictionary on definition-of.com.

I Just Called To Say I Love You

     Call your parents (or whoever raised you) and thank them for everything they did for you!

Valentine's Day

    It's that sometimes-anticipated-by-couples-yet-often-dreaded-by-singles day of the year! In the spirit of Valentine's Day, send an anonymous letter or bouquet of flowers to someone special to you, your mom, your recently-divorced best friend. This deliberate act of kindness will last long after the 14th as the memory lingers on.

    PS: A really nice thing to do the night before Valentine's Day is to offer to watch a friend or neighbor's children so they can run errands or spend time with their significant other.