Happy Valentine's Day!
Earlier today, I stopped by KATU 2—Portland's ABC News station—to share some tips on how to write a love letter. I'm a total romantic—chocolate, roses, novels by Nicholas Sparks, oh yessss!—so it was incredibly fun to be there. You can watch the clip here.
If you're feeling inspired to write a love letter, I vote... Do it.
Let's bring back old-fashioned romance! Longing gazes! Wistful glances! Handwritten pledges of devotion... in envelopes with a wax seal! You can write a letter to your current sweetheart—or, to a "future love" that you haven't even met yet. Yes to all of
that.
Here are a few letter-writing suggestions:
— Be specific.
Instead of saying, "I love your smile," try something a bit more specific.
Perhaps you could say, "I love that sleepy smile you get every Sunday morning when we're snuggling in bed, eating toast, doing basically nothing at all."
— Try the "mind, body, spirit" approach.
If you're staring at a blank piece of paper with no idea what to say, try this approach:
You can start your love letter with: "I love your mind..." and then write a few reasons why you love your sweetheart's brilliant, wonderful brain. Their creativity. Their ideas. The way they perceive the
world.
Then, "I love your body..." and write a few reasons why you love their body. The scent of their hair. How it feels to be held in their arms. How it feels to experience... ahem, other things, too.
Then, "I love your spirit..." and write a few reasons why you love
their spirit. Their courage. Their compassion. Their sense of possibility. Whatever you love most.
And... just like that, you've got a love letter that's sure to induce cries of "Awwwwww!" and maybe a few kisses and appreciative squeezes, too.
— Most of all... Don't wait. Say it
now.
Life can be strange and heartbreaking.
My mom lost her father when she was only 15 years old. Last autumn, a close friend of mine disappeared without a trace. As I type these words, there's been yet another horrific school shooting, leaving families in
devastation.
Everything can change in a split-second. So, don't leave any words unsaid.
Say, "I love you." Say, "I'm thinking about you." Say, "You've made such a difference in my life." Say, "I'm here for you." Don't wait until tomorrow. Say it today.
I'm wishing you a day filled with love, in all forms...
-Alex
PS. If you want some chill music to play in the background while you're working today, try this
playlist.
PPPS. If you need some love right now—a friendly voice, a few words of encouragement—I am here for you. You can email me and put “Pep Talk” in your Subject line. I will record an audio-message just for you. No charge. Totally free.
For real. <3
