Last week I got this out-of-the-blue text from a friend: “I just want you to know I think you are a gifted, giving, unique soul that I feel blessed to know and love.”

It completely made my day. And it inspired me not just to text back a love note to that friend, but to send sweet messages to other friends and to express my adoration to my family.

I even watched how our daughter absorbed that energy and passed it along. While we were in line at the store, she turned to another girl and told her how pretty she looked.

Love dominos. 

One to the next. 

It works.

Expressing your admiration and love for someone is a beautiful win for everyone involved. Yet we often don’t take the time to make these little communications. Not because we don’t feel it, but because we’re busy, we’re shy, or we just haven’t paused to reflect on how much our people mean to us.

Valentine’s Day can be about romantic love, but it can also be about platonic love, familial love, community love, and the simple joy of appreciating another human. A warm message, a heartfelt compliment, or a few sincere words can shift someone’s entire day. 

And it can shift yours, too.

Research has shown what many of us already know intuitively: expressing affection is good for our nervous systems, our mood, and our sense of connection. Writing or speaking loving words helps reduce stress and increases feelings of wellbeing.  

Connection can be so deeply nourishing.

And the ripple effect is real. When someone receives unexpected praise or appreciation, they are more likely to pass that kindness along. One expression of love leads to another, and suddenly the world feels a little softer, a little more generous.

And don’t we need that right now?

This Valentine’s Day, we invite you to start your own love dominos. 

Send a text. 

Write a note. 

Say the thing you’ve been meaning to say. 

Tell a friend what you adore about them. 

Thank a family member. 

Compliment a stranger. 

Share your love freely and watch what happens.

With love,

Briana

PS - Peter’s dropping his own love domino for our community next Saturday. I can’t wait for you to see it!