Our Circle of Love...
Have you ever thought about how many people you interact with every day? Family, friends, neighbors, coworkers… the list is a reflection of your circle. Think about how meaningful it is to ground yourself in this community—enriching the lives of the people around you and to be enriched by them in turn is how we feel fulfilled and loved.
Our ability to form these bonds and connect with others helps us feel supported. Love can take almost as many forms in our lives as our circle widens. Let’s look at love this month as more than just romantic love (although that may be a good place to start ❤️) and broaden our perspective to embrace the community we’ve created around us and beyond.
As part of our February focus on love, let’s take some time to think about the important people in our lives, our circle and how we can prioritize spending more time, slowing our pace, and really appreciating the moments we have together. It’s important to let these individuals know how much they mean to us. Nothing brings more inspiration than knowing that we can make our world a little bit better by sharing the joy of kindness, kinship and love with others. After all, it's vital to us, as human beings, to take care of not only ourselves, but each other. We thrive when we focus on this circle of positive, supportive love and celebrate bonds that nurture one another.
Now let’s move into February with our hearts open to all the sweetness and love that lies ahead..
On Our February Agenda
Love Notes
Cherishing the art of a hand-written note
Although it seems that writing anything by hand is becoming less common, we think the handwritten note is still an elegant and personal way of expressing ourselves. Did you know the act of writing, rather than typing words, has been shown to stimulate brain development, creativity, and memory? So it seems fitting that this month that we give some thought and consideration to taking the time to create a beautiful handwritten note as the unique expression of our love.
If you’ve been following us here at plj for a while, you’ve probably heard this little story before, but I share it fondly as a memory of a love note. My grandmother addressed all her letters and cards in calligraphy—it was just what she always did. It was her way of expressing how much she cared about the recipients of her greetings. Looking back, I guess you could say this was her brand… For our wedding, Gigi (as she became known by her great grandchildren) hand-addressed all of our invitations with her calligraphy. This personalization—her writing, the time and detail she put into every card—meant everything to me then, and is something that I still hold so dearly in my heart to this day. What an amazing and thoughtful gift of love from an incredibly inspiring, special grandmother.
The gift of our written expressions of love can become treasures, we adoringly remember for years to come. So, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, choose a few people who are very special to you and write them a love note, by hand.
Make note of it
Journaling is another way to express ourselves and take time to slow down and reflect on our thoughts. We have found it brings a sense of calmness and clarity to our day. At plj, we like to keep our own notes, thoughts, and inspirations organized in a journal or beautiful book as a great way to save our ideas. (Remember the vision board we talked about as part of our new year’s intentions to organize our inspirations for the coming year?) These notes inspire us for upcoming projects, gatherings or design goals. They are also helpful to facilitate communication with our team or family—and who doesn’t benefit from being a little more organized, right? Looking back at our journal is also a delightful keepsake in remembering our important moments, dreams, and aspirations. Think of it as a love note to yourself!
Love Language
Love makes our world go round, and February 14th is one of our favorite moments to express it. We already mentioned love notes, but celebration of this special day of love can also take the form of compliments, encouragement, and other kind words and gestures. Remember, it’s important to let the people you care about know how much they mean to you every day, but occasions like this can serve as a reminder for us to make sure it happens. If you’re proud of or impressed by someone and their efforts or achievements, tell them—it will make their day! Little things go a long way to building a healthy community of people who feel loved, so be inspired by the littlest acts and expressions of everyday love.
Create a playlist of your favorite songs and send it to someone special. Plan a special dinner or lunch, bake a healthy treat, meet for a coffee or take a walk, or plan a wellness-focused day (a spa visit, a yoga class, a hike…) with a friend. There are so many meaningful ways to share the joy. If you have a great idea for a special Valentine’s thought, let us know—we’d love to share your inspiration with the plj community.
We delight in the sweet sentiments and treats that always accompany Valentine’s Day but we’d like to dig a little deeper into the theme of love, taking it apart letter by letter.
L — Live with wellness in mind. Incorporate more healthy habits into your day.
O — Offer kindness in your day and look for opportunities to share this joy with those around you.
V — Vary the everyday. Indulge your spontaneous side. Laugh a lot and make changes to vary your daily routine, home, and menu.
E — Experience the new. This idea is woven into almost all our blogs because it is so important. We as humans are naturally curious and inquisitive; it’s getting started and discovering what we’d like to do that sometimes hinders us. Remember, we never know what’s possible if we don’t try. So we are here to encourage you—if you’re interested, go for it! Continuously learning and gaining new skills keeps us active, healthy, vibrant, and connected to the special people in our lives.
At plj we’ve taken our desire for new experiences to heart in many ways with our love for travel, motivation to live well, and desire to learn the many skills needed to grow our brand. Every day presents a new learning experience and we love every minute. Embarking on something new? Let us know, we love hearing from you! We’re here because we’re convinced that inspiring each other is the best way to grow and share positivity and joy.
Winter Wellness
How to stay inspired during the winter:
Start your morning off with wellness in mind. Bring bright and sunny into your day no matter what the winter weather is. Figure out what motivates you and invigorates your senses in the morning, sipping a warm herbal infusion, a few minutes with your journal, exercise, meditation, a walk in nature, watching the sunrise or some other activity that gives you a little burst of positive energy.
Focus on a project. Choosing a task to accomplish during the winter months especially gives us extra motivation and something tangible to feel proud of when it’s completed.
Fresh air and time in nature are an absolute must, especially in winter. Being active outdoors does wonders to elevate our mood and broaden our perspectives.
Create a reading list. Giving yourself some reading goals to either learn something new or just to have a fun read to look forward to can be an inviting way to escape the winter weather. Getting a friend or family member involved with your reading challenge can be a great way to add a little accountability and to connect over your insights and experiences as you read the same books.
Focus on simplifying healthy meal prep by planning ahead. First, make a shopping list based on the recipes that you’d like to make for the week ahead. It's helpful if you buy fresh produce and herbs that you can use in multiple dishes. One time-saving tip is to prepare all salad ingredients at once and store them in airtight containers so they are readily available when you need them—think of it as your own in-house salad bar. This simplifies the process for having healthy choices readily available for nutritious meals as well as healthy snacking.
Travel Well
If travel is part of your winter plans, we’ve created a foolproof carry-on packing list template for you and your family, so everyone has what they need on their next flight:
For your carry-on/personal items:
Travel documents, ID, passport/visa, and other wallet items (cards, cash)
Comfy change of clothes (think layers—you can never quite be sure of temperature when in transit) and a full set of clothes to change into in case of lost/delayed checked luggage
Travel pouch with blanket and eye mask
Slippers/lounge socks
Travel scarf or poncho
Hand sanitizer
Hand cream
Lip balm
Sanitizer wipes
Facial spritz and moisturizer
Electronics: earbuds, headphones, chargers, phone, laptop/tablet
Reading material/glasses if needed
A few dry snacks
Eye drops/vitamins/medications
Disposable mask
Pen and small notepad
Purchase a bottle of water and any other fresh food at the gate
If traveling with young children, a favorite toy and fully stocked baby tote
A Heartful Reminder
February is Heart Health Awareness month and we love the extra incentive to pay attention to the vital organ that inspired all the heart icons around us this month. As you may know, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. At partager la joie we strive to live a healthy lifestyle and look at this month to renew our focus on heart health and encourage the ones we love to do the same. After all, is there a better way to show love for yourself and the people around you than by embracing a heart-healthy lifestyle? We can make a significant impact on our well-being by eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, daily exercise, adequate sleep, and reducing stressors—all simple changes to keep our hearts healthy.
We’re hoping to encourage you to renew or consider taking a class to learn how to perform simple but life-saving CPR. It may not be pleasant to think about, but people with basic CPR and AED training are most likely to use those skills on a loved one or close friend. Let’s increase our awareness and readiness to give the kind of help that can save a life. For more information on cardiovascular disease and tips for a heart-healthy lifestyle or CPR classes, visit the American Heart Association.❤️
Epicure
Made with Love
Our epicure this month is inspired by heart-healthy recipes and a few sweets made with superfoods—berries, avocado, nuts, salmon, chia, dark chocolate, yogurt, and leafy greens. Did you know that passion fruit is also a superfood powerhouse... could there be a more fitting fruit for this month of love? It’s full of health benefits—iron, and antioxidants the body uses to make cartilage, muscle, bone, and collagen. It's also relatively low in sugar compared to other fruit, and helps with lowering inflammation in the body and protecting against cell damage.
Passion Fruit Juice
Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
No-Bake Superfood Brownies
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Passion Fruit Sorbet
Raspberry Bread Pudding
Soy Ginger Salmon with Bok Choy
Grilled Fish Tacos
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Reduction
Roasted Beets
Vietnamese Fresh Rolls
Frozen Chocolate-covered Yogurt and Strawberry Clusters
Those Moments When We Love Staying Home
Flowers we adore
Subtle and seasonal arrangements that hint at spring are our inspiration this month. Quince and cherry blossoms bring a joyous bundle of pale pink or white to an entrance, kitchen island, or dining table.
Boost your winter mood
Incorporating nature into your tablescapes and homes during winter months adds brightness and a sense of new life to your gatherings. Flowering branches, potted plants, and assorted fragrant greens and herbs are all wonderful choices. Force your favorite spring bulbs to bloom indoors now—daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are perfect choices to add a bit of fresh and new to indoor containers.
Here’s how we do it:
Line the bottom of a tall vase or container with a few stones (this will anchor the bulbs as they begin to bloom).
Add water to cover the stones.
Place bulbs on top of the rock layer wide end down.
Add water as needed to keep the roots of the bulbs wet
Bloom time varies.
Remember to keep your bulbs in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to use them.
Shift and Repurpose Elements of Design
We tend to get a bit restless indoors during the winter months, making this a wonderful opportunity to refresh our living spaces. Look around your home to utilize items you already have—something as simple as restyling your nightstand or coffee table, adding a few decorative books or other design elements, and filling a vase with fresh or faux greens or flowers to display in your entryway or kitchen. A faux tree in a woven planter can bring a new dimension to a larger room. A freshly painted creamy white wall, changing up the pillows on a sofa, adding an area rug or a new piece of artwork are all basic ways to revitalize and brighten a tired space. Once you find your own creativity and style, you’ll look forward to editing how you live with every season.
Looking for inspiration to refresh— we’d love to help! Learn more about our Inspiration Workshop.
Gifts of Love
Browse our style, home, and wellness collections to shop our February finds—luxurious loungewear, stylish faux fur separates, cute caps and mittens, and charming wool pouches and carryalls to keep cozy on blustery days. Winter travel plans? Shop our super soft travel collection—scarves, blankets and eye masks—all to keep you comfortable on the go. Looking for something special for your Valentine? Shop our Bella Maxi dress in pink stripe, oversized raffia beach tote, and Lip Love hydrating lip balm. Show your table a little love and warmth with beautiful linens and olive wood and woven accessories. In wellness, our relaxing freshly scented bath salts, lavender eye pillows, rose hydrating mist, sleep essentials, and Love & Harmony candle are perfect for creating balance with your winter self-care routine.
With Love in the Air
We’ve made a conscious intention this year to slow our pace down to give ourselves space to reflect upon what’s really important in our lives. Often the most important gift we can give ourselves and our loved ones is time. Quality time with family, friends, and others who are important to us is how we draw and connect with our circle of love. The sweet little touches of thoughtfulness we share during this month of love are wonderful symbols of love, but it's truly this connection we have with others that matters the most. The memories we create when we’re together and the bonds we share are gifts we have for a lifetime.
Make the effort to nurture these vital relationships—celebrate love everyday by living, laughing, and making time for each other. Embrace your circle of love and share the joy you have by letting them know how special they are and how much you love them ❤️
Comments will be approved before showing up.
