Love Challenge
Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, the director of a 75-year-old study on happiness and adult development, discovered that good relationships keep us happier and healthier. As Joshua Rosenthal says, “You can eat all the broccoli and brown rice in the world, but if you feel isolated and lonely, you are not going to be living life at full capacity.”
These seven days before Valentine’s Day, a holiday that celebrates love and friendship, I have a challenge for you to help you strengthen your relationships. Please share this with your family and friends, if you’d like to encourage them to participate in the challenge. You may choose to focus on one loved one or all of your closest family and friends that you come in contact with over the next week.
Day 1: Be patient - when you feel annoyed or impatient, be calm and don’t say anything negative about them.
Day 2: Be kind - look them in the eyes, smile and give them a genuine compliment.
Day 3: Be encouraging - build them up and tell them what you think is impressive about them.
Day 4: Be grateful - let them know how thankful you are for who they are or for a specific thing they did for you.
Day 5: Be honest - tell the truth and communicate kindly with them.
Day 6: Be hopeful - talk about something you look forward to doing together in the future.
Day 7: Be committed - tell them that you will always love them and always forgive them, no matter what.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8