After Sinterklaas, Christmas and New Years it is now time for…. Valentine’s Day! Wait, wait, before you tell me all about how it is a commercial holiday (although I love that the chocolate is on sale the day after that) or that it is impossible to have a date during this crisis: it is also the start of a week I had no knowledge of before writing this piece, but is really important: Random Acts of Kindness Week!

While I was writing on the importance of love in all its forms: love for your partner, but also your family or the people around you, this week is all about that, and gives you a broader look on what Valentine’s day could be!

During this crisis, it’s even more important than ever, to look out for each other and help each other. And I think that’s where all these holidays are for: sometimes we are so stuck in our daily lives, that we forget the amazing things around us, and during these holidays, we can stop for a minute and appreciate what we have.

And, it’s for a good reason! Did you know that by helping others, you find happiness yourself? So, if you are a bit down due to the current situation (like most of us)… stop for a minute, and look around you. Is there someone who needs a hand?

We’re educated to think about the world around us, but sometimes we get so focused on that, that we forget to appreciate the little things around us. Therefore I would like to invite you to focus this week on different kinds of love, by doing random acts of kindness.

Some love for… the world

–        Pick up some litter

–        Help mapping for a good cause

–        Volunteer somewhere

–        Replace something in your house for a zero-waste alternative

Some love for… random people

–        Everyone takes some walks nowadays to refresh their minds. So if you are a bit sad, a smile of someone can do a lot! When you go for a walk, say hi and smile!

–        Start a conversation with a random person.

–        Leave a book in one of the many shared book points.

–        Write some happy note on the pavement with chalk, or paint a rock and hide it somewhere for a random person to be found!

Some love for… your family/friends/housemates

–        Bake something nice, and hand it out to them!

–        Just… listen. Ask them about their day and really listen to what they say.

–        Send a text message to a person you haven’t talked to in a while

–        Send a postcard to someone

–        Call your grandparents

–        Volunteer to do something for someone: baby sit, help studying, etc.

–        Give someone a compliment

Some love for… yourself

–        Stop and smell the roses: like literally: go for a walk, but enjoy the moment and look around you! Watch the sun reflecting on the water, or how birds are flying over you, and realize, spring is coming.

–        Meditate: you’ve got a lot of nice apps to start with this

–        Exercise: also a lot of apps, for which you will feel better even after 5 minutes.

–        Just buy that nice dessert you’ve been looking at for the past 10 minutes.

–        Take a spa day at home

–        Make a list of all the things you want to do, when we’re allowed to do so again.

–        Read a great book

–        Try something you’ve always wanted to do: that fancy recipe, paint something just for fun or start balcony garden.

You can find a lot of ideas at the Random Acts of Kindness Site.

Although we learned that everything on this planet is finite, there is one exception: “happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it” (Albert Schweitzer).

Do you have more ideas or did some of them? Send your story/picture to us, and we might show it in the next newsletter!

Picture: altered from a picture of: Foto door Lisa Fotios via Pexels.