EMBRACING THE HEART’S JOURNEY: A FEBRUARY FULL OF LOVE & TRANSFORMATION

UNVEILING THE POWER OF DAILY ACTS OF LOVE

By Carmen Greger

February, the shortest month, unfolds like a love letter to the essence of care and affection. It’s a time to celebrate love in all its forms: for oneself, for others, and for the world around us. In the spirit of embracing this month’s warmth, let’s journey through a “Living in Love Calendar,” a daily invitation to practice love, kindness, and gratitude inspired by Marianne Williamson’s wonderful words of wisdom.

LIVING IN LOVE CALENDAR- FEBRUARY

1. Start a Gratitude Journal – Begin your month by journaling three things you’re grateful for each day. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Aesop
2. Self-Care Day – Dedicate this day to self-care: take a long bath, read, or meditate. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” – Audre Lorde
3. Compliment Someone – Give a genuine compliment to a stranger or a friend. “A kind word is like a spring day.” – Russian Proverb
4. Nature Walk – Take a walk in nature, breathe deeply, and observe the beauty around you. “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
5. Digital Detox – Spend the day without electronics. Notice the peace that follows. “Sometimes, you need to be alone. Not to be lonely, but to enjoy your free time being yourself.” – Unknown
6. Cook a Healthy Meal – Prepare a nutritious meal for yourself or loved ones. “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
7. Listen to Inspiring Music – Create a playlist of songs that uplift your spirit. “Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.” – Pablo Casals
8. Donate or Volunteer – Give back to the community by donating or volunteering your time. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
9. Exercise & Get a Massage – Engage in a physical activity you enjoy; feel the vitality in your body. Follow the activity with a shower and a massage. Embrace today fully. “The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” – Sakyong Mipham
10. Send a Thank You Letter – Write to three people you respect and admire, thanking them for their influence in your life. “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” – Jean Baptiste Massieu
11. Host a Coat Drive – Organize a coat drive to help those in need stay warm. “Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers.” – Kahlil Gibran
12. Mindful Eating – Savor a meal slowly, appreciating each bite. “Eating with mindfulness is an act of love.” – T.N.H.
13. Galentine’s Day Gathering – Celebrate friendship with a gathering of your closest gal pals. “A friend is what the heart needs all the time.” – Henry Van Dyke
14. Valentine’s Day Love – Express love in creative ways, not just romantic. “Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.” – Vincent van Gogh
15. Create Art – Channel your feelings into creating something beautiful. “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso
16. Read a Book on Love – Dive into a book about love’s many forms. “Love is an endless mystery, for it has nothing else to explain it.” – Rabindranath Tagore
17. Spend Time with Loved Ones – Dedicate quality time to those you care about. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” – John Wooden
18. Practice Yoga – Connect with your body through the practice of yoga. “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita
19. Write a Love Letter to Yourself – Pen down your strengths, dreams, and love for yourself. “Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” – Katrina Mayer
20. Explore a New Hobby – Take up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try. “Hobbies are a contradiction; they take work and turn it into leisure, and take leisure and turn it into work.” – Steven M. Gelber
21. Visit the Elderly – Spend time with the elderly and listen to their stories. “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” – Tia Walker
22. Plan a Future Trip – Dream and plan a trip you’d love to take. “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Unknown
23. Reflection Day – Reflect on the past month’s growth and lessons learned. “Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.” – Richard Carlson
24. Take a Long Walk – Go for a long walk and explore your surroundings with presence. “Walking is a man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates
25. Practice Listening – Spend the day actively listening to others without interrupting. “Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” – Dean Jackson
26. Host a Dinner – Invite friends or family over for a home-cooked meal. Offer a beautiful hand-crafted dessert and toast to the sweetness of life. “The greatest dishes are very simple.” – Auguste Escoffier
27. Random Acts of Kindness – Perform random acts of kindness throughout the day. “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain
28. Celebrate Personal Growth – Acknowledge and celebrate your growth and accomplishments this month. “Celebrate your successes. Find some humor in your failures.” – Sam Walton
29. Leap Day of Love (for Leap Years) – Use this extra day to do something purely out of love for others or yourself. “Extraordinary actions bring extraordinary results.” – Amit Ray

Love, in its myriad forms, is the essence that threads through our lives, enriching, nurturing, and sometimes challenging us to grow beyond our imagined limits. February, as a beacon of love and kindness, reminds us of the importance of rooting our actions in love, not just for a month but as a lifelong practice. It encourages us to live with an open heart, to embrace the present with all our senses, and to spread kindness and compassion in every step. Let’s carry the spirit of February with us throughout the year, making every day an opportunity to live in love, celebrating the beauty of life and the connections that make it worth living.

Building upon the foundation of love and kindness laid out by our “Living in Love Calendar,” it’s compelling to introduce the timeless wisdom found in Marianne Williamson’s masterpiece, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles.” Williamson’s work, much like the daily practices we’ve explored, beckons us to a deeper understanding of love’s transformative power in our lives.

In A Return to Love, Williamson shares her personal journey of discovering how love can heal, uplift, and restore our lives. She elucidates that our greatest task is to return to the love that inherently resides within us, a concept that echoes through each day of our February calendar. Her insights are not just philosophical; they are practical, guiding us on how to apply love in our daily experiences.

One of her most quoted lines encapsulates the essence of her message, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” This profound statement reminds us that embracing our inner light and love can illuminate not only our paths but also touch the lives of those around us. It’s a call to not shy away from our potential, but to embrace it with an open heart.

Williamson encourages us to see that every encounter and every relationship is an opportunity for a miracle, a chance to choose love over fear. This perspective is a beacon for navigating the complexities of human emotions and interactions, much like the actions suggested for each day in February. Her book is filled with actionable advice on forgiveness, self-love, and the surrender to a higher power, guiding readers to find peace and purpose in the service of love.

As we reflect on the “Living in Love Calendar,” consider Williamson’s invitation to make every decision from a place of love. Whether it’s through meditation, spending time in nature, expressing gratitude, or engaging in acts of kindness, these daily practices align with Williamson’s vision of a life anchored in love.

For those inspired by the snippets of wisdom shared here, A Return to Love is a treasure trove of enlightenment. I encourage you to pick up a copy or download it on Audible. Let Marianne Williamson guide you deeper into the understanding that love is not just an emotion but a state of being. Her book not only complements the journey we’ve embarked on this February but also offers tools and insights for a lifetime of love, growth, and healing.

Let us remember that love is the most powerful force in the universe. It’s what heals, unites, and uplifts us. February, with its focus on love, is just the beginning. By integrating the practices from our calendar and the wisdom from A Return to Love, we can continue to cultivate a life that celebrates love in all its forms. Let’s root ourselves in kindness, ahimsa (non-harming), compassion, and respect for ourselves and others. In doing so, we not only enrich our own lives but also contribute to a world brimming with love and light.