Ah, love is in the air! It’s that season… the “Hallmark Holiday” when we proclaim our adoration for one another. I’m not much for Valentine’s Day flowers and candy; while I appreciate them, I believe there are more authentic means of showing one another a little love. Not just for that special someone; it’s a good day to be sweet and show appreciation to others in general. And, so, here are a few ways to express your affection, Coffee Lunch Coffee style:
- You Buy the Coffee. Why not surprise the person behind you in line by paying for his/her coffee or meal? It’s happened to my husband twice over the past six months at Starbucks; I just saw something on Facebook – my cousin, Gloria, thanked the person in front of her in the drive-thru for paying for her $1.09 iced tea; my friend, Nancy, had this to say:
“My daughter Chloe and I love to surprise strangers behind us in line at the McDonald’s drive-thru by paying for their meal. Someone did it for us many years ago when she and I were driving through. It delighted us so much that we did it the next day, and we’ve been doing it periodically ever since. It’s a fun way to put a little sunshine in someone’s (and your own) day.”
- Applause. Next time you attend a play or a talk or a presentation, consider being the last one clapping. In a genuine, authentic way, be the one who applauds the loudest and the longest. Everyone loves the extra ovation!
- Hug it Out. Are you a hugger? Well, if so, why not aim to give the biggest, most enduring hug? You don’t have to crush the recipient or give such an extra-long hug that it gets weird… simply show them how much you care by giving them an honest-to-goodness bear hug… and, none of those fake collar bone bumps, please.
- Write a Review/Recommendation. There are many places for people to endorse one another. For example, for those of you who are LinkedIn users, one component of a complete LinkedIn profile is a set of at least three recommendations. The way that those recommendations get there is that he/she with the profile typically requests them from present and former clients, co-workers, teammates, fellow volunteers, etc. That said, one can always provide an unsolicited recommendation for someone with whom he/she has interacted and who deserves the kudos. Another example is to provide a book review on Amazon.com – it’s helpful to potential readers, it’s helpful to the author. Finally, you can always write a letter of recommendation… for a potential student trying to get into his/her first choice of undergraduate or graduate program, for a former colleague who is applying for a new position with another company, for a friend who is seeking a volunteer board opportunity with a local not-for-profit. The opportunity for endorsement is endless… seize the chance to show your appreciation and admiration for others who deserve such recognition.
- #FF. Do you Tweet? If you are any kind of Twitter user at all, you have no doubt seen messages that simply say “#FF” followed by a bunch of Twitter handles (well, a bunch so long as they fit into 140 characters or fewer!). “#FF” is a Twitter hashtag that stands for “Follow Friday” and is essentially a way to recommend others to follow on Twitter. For many people, Twitter is a means for promoting their ideas, businesses, opinions and they really appreciate when others endorse them. So, tomorrow, why not put out a #FF? If you need an idea of someone to #FF, try this: #FF @alanamuller for networking advice and thoughts on entrepreneurship!
- Call Your Mother. …or whoever it is that you really appreciate that you may or may not have talked with recently. Go on, give ‘em a call, let ‘em know how much you care.
And, if all else fails, flowers and candy work, too. Happy Valentine’s Day to the CLC community. I LOVE YOU!