Category Archives: personal growth

Love Notes Wrap Up and an Invitation

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Hello Friends!

What a FUN 30 days! It went by so fast, I’m so surprised, and I would definitely do this again! How was it, did you enjoy it? I’d love if you found this month of 12 daily Love Notes both simple and deep, uplifting and grounding at the same time.

I now have a stack of 360 original, unfolded Jar Smile Love Notes that need homes. Would you like some? Here’s my invitation:

Take a look at the thirty themes below.
Which one(s) resonate(s) with you?
Who in your life could use a few of these messages?

I will mail them to you, in an envelope with a stamp and everything!
Let me know if you want them folded or flat.
I can mail internationally, no problem!
Please comment on this post on WordPress, Instagram, or Facebook to request. You can request as many sets as you want, first come, first served. I will send them in whole dozens; no cherry picking. If you only want a few, maybe carry the rest around and strew them in your loving wake?
You can message me your address privately on my Instagram account, @chenger91, or we can figure out something else.

In exchange, please consider making a donation to Braver Angels or Digs With Dignity. These are my two favorite non-profits; they do so much concrete good in our world!
Tell me in your comment how these notes landed for you this month, and how you might pay the feelings forward, either by sharing the notes you request, writing your own, or in some other creative and loving way.

I will take requests through 6:00pm US Central Standard Time Tuesday, December 30th.
I will mark/update the list below as the sets are spoken for.
I think I know what I will do with the leftovers, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if there weren’t any?

The goal here is to spread the Love, my friends–how far can we fling it?
I can’t wait to see!

ADDENDUM: I will strikethrough the sets as they are taken.

1.Transition
2. Rest
3. Work
4. Making Friends
5. Uncertainty
6. Perseverance
7. Balance
8. Revival
9. Lightness
10. Kindness
11. Gratitude
12. Friendship
13. Love
14. Reunion
15. Fitness
16. Remembrance
17. Humanity
18. Learning
19. Bridging Difference
20. Solidarity
21. Dancing
22. Finding Joy
23. Creativity
24. Listening
25. Empathy
26. Patience
27. Homecoming
28. Honesty
29. Change for Good
30. Peace

Typical Smile Jar refill snail mail

Love Notes for Change for Good

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“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better. But because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” —Wicked: For Good

I have always loved a good play on words.
Daughter and I saw Wicked: For Good in the theater today–highly recommend!
As always, it’s the nature, development, and evolution of relationships that captures me.
Friendship, romantic connection, love of all kinds, as well as fear- and shame-based decisions and actions… It’s all on my mind a lot this weekend.

So here on the second to last day of my 11th thirty day blogging challenge, I will explore relationships that change us for good. I’m excited to see what emerges!

  1. Was it a teacher? A special childhood friend? Whoever has changed you and your life for good–why not let them know today? You may not always have a chance.

2. “Like a handprint on my heart.” May you be acutely aware of the mark you make on those you meet. And may the mark be one of love.

3. Even if our encounter is brief, I believe we can impact one another in significant ways. Human connection is so powerful that way. Wield wisely, please.

4. Please know how much you matter – Your posture, your face, your words, your actions – no matter how small. Decide how you want to impact others – then own it. Do good.

5. OH my goodness our potential to impact one another’s lives for good! It’s almost infinite, I think! 😀 May we all be reverent of this power!

6. Wishing you people in your life whose influence makes you a stronger, more aware, more honest version of yourself. I wish this for all of us!

7. I so admire you – for committing to your heart’s desire and trusting yourself to pursue success with confidence! You inspire me.

8. Worthy rivals. Respectful, energetic, alert, and engaging relationships that challenge us to strive, to reach, to grow. May you have at least one great one.

9. May we hold ourselves open and willing for experiences that will change us – that will teach us lessons we may not seek. Life is about learning. Let us all be students.

10. On the highlight reel of your life, may you see repeated and bright scenes of connection and meaning. And may those people remain in your life, in your heart.

11. You push me. You challenge me. I grow through the struggle of our exchanges. You make me question and solidify my convictions. Thank you.

12. Because I know you, I have been changed for good. You think and feel differently from me and I learn from you. These lessons are important.

Well, not as good as I had hoped, but a good effort.
We’re almost to 360, my friends. That’s cool. 🙂

Love Notes for Homecoming

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Both kids are home for the first time since the nest emptied. I love when they’re at school and I love when they are home. This. Is. AWESOME.
Also, thanks to my lovely friends, their empathic listening and honest reflections, I was able to shift out of ‘you suck’ mode from yesterday and reclaim my better, more loving self today.
The best advice I ever got for mindfulness training was, “Celebrate the return.”
How lovely.
Tonight I celebrate various returns.
Hope you can do the same, my friends.

  1. My dear friend, may your self-love serve you well enough to feel at home in yourself no matter where you go and who you meet. You are you and you are enough.

2. Whenever you venture out into the brave new worlds of life, may you always feel the safety and security of home to come back to.

3. If home is far away, may you have strong and reliable ways to feel connected anytime you need. May you feel home within you always.

4. I know you love me because you always welcome me home to myself and us, no matter how far afield I may fly. Thank you thank you thank you.

5. *sigh* Home. Make it wherever and whatever you need. Make it your base from whence all your life adventures begin. Welcome.

6. Open arms Big hearts Warm food & endless hugs and smiles that feed your soul – May you encounter these at home always.

7. Home is such a special place, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a place. Could be a person or a state of mind. Wishing you to always feel at home.

8. Do you prefer out-and-back or looping trails? Either way you return to the origin, but now having ventured to see somewhere else. Grow for it!

9. Wherever your strong affinity calls you, wherever you know as home, may you access that inner or outer space often and deeply.

10. Whether you have one home or multiple, define home as place, people, or other, may it/they always be welcoming and safe, a refuge for your very being.

11. We all wander off-track sometimes. It’s okay, perfectly normal. May we celebrate when we return to the path. Yes, celebrate the return.

12. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re home until we leave and come back… The comfort, the familiarity, the peace. Welcome home.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. Three more days of November. It went by too fast! Wishing all of us to walk forth with our tanks a little more full, filling one another’s.