How to Find the Love of it All

It’s that time of year again! Hallmark Holiday time.

There is a house in our Arizona neighborhood that really seems to be in love with holiday time. They show this love by being the king and queen of decorations. I mean, they go full out and and while it gives me joy to drive by their corner house and see their orange, glowing, spooky Halloween light projections on their garage and their 8-foot Santas looming in the yard surrounded by tons of lights and prancing reindeer, and for today, floating hearts and fluffy pink stuff, all I think is, “How much time does it take to put all the crap away?”

I imagine they don’t think the way I do.

I suppose the joy of creating an annual or monthly holiday masterpiece has to far outweigh the pain of re-boxing lights, repacking blow up figurines, and getting into arguments over how and where things are organized.

Their joy must outweigh the pain, right? They have found the love of it all, whereas, I have not. I’m thinking February 14 can bring that out in some of us.

Therefore, I think this will be the theme for Love Day 2023. “How to Find the Love of it All.”

If you are feeling alone and/or curmudgey today, honor and acknowledge that feeling and then pivot your feelings to something else. Go find some love.

Here’s a way to start. Ask yourself, “What about me makes me feel good?”

Can’t think of anything lovely? Here are some ❤️ things to choose from:

• ❤️I am funny.
• ❤️I am a good friend to others.
• ❤️I am a good family member to others.
• ❤️I make excellent spaghetti.
• ❤️I turn in my expense reports on time each month.
• ❤️I am great at sweeping the kitchen.
• ❤️I have hair that does what I want it to do.
• ❤️I take my car for an oil change before the sticky note on the windshield tells me to do so.
• ❤️I’m a fabulous line dancer.
• ❤️I am happy with how my butt looks in my jeans.
• ❤️I go to the gym.
• ❤️I make brownies that are diiivine.
• ❤️I can write a really good sentence.
• ❤️I am a beautiful painter.
• ❤️I am the one people come to with their problems and I appreciate that.
• ❤️I have a pet that loves me.
• ❤️I can make people laugh and that feels good.
• ❤️I can talk to any stranger at any time.
• ❤️I am usually on time to work.
• ❤️I take long walks on the weekends.
• ❤️I am doing a good job of taking care of me.

That’s a start. But if nothing above made you smile or feel a little bit good or love-dovey of yourself, make your own list and find a way to celebrate you today.

In the meantime, I leave you with my holiday decoration:

Need more? You can watch this Valentine’s episode of the webseries Morenike and I created eons ago. “How to Look for Love in All the Wrong Places: Tip #9.” (It is still really funny.)

Love you,

❤️Peppur