If you read this title, 10 Ways to Lighten up for Love in a beauty magazine, you might expect tips on how to lose 10 pounds, or highlight your hair, but these tips to lighten up for love are about simplifying your life, heart, and soul to make room for love.

Better moods, attitudes, and relationships are all great side effects of getting simple and light.

1. Declutter
When your home feels light, it’s easier to be light. 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night of removing items that you don’t use or love will help you wake up happier and sleep more soundly.

2. Give
When you give things away to people who need them, hearts will warm. Give your extra coats, hats, gloves, and socks to homeless shelters. Give the last great book you read to a friend, or a stack of books to the library or a local convalescence home, and that beautiful shirt you never wear to your sister.

3. Smile
Before you react to demands, questions, or requests from your spouse, kids, boss or friend, smile and see them. Then, yes, or no, respond with love.

4. Walk
Leave your stress and heavy heart on the sidewalk, or the trail. When you feel angry, angsty, or burdened, instead of venting, complaining or taking it out on someone you love, take a long walk.

5. Write
Write about your day, your great ideas, and about your lunch. Write about your worries and fears, loves and joy. Put your busy mind on paper. Clear your brain for a lighter heart.

6. Unplug
Put your phone down and make eye contact. Close your computer and release that tension in your shoulders. Shut down the iPad, the TV, your laptop and Kindle and remember what you did before any of those things existed. What did you do before the internet?

7. Listen
Don’t talk for a bit. Turn on loving music. Listen to long stories. Don’t think about what you want to say, but instead just hear what they say. Really listen.

8. Create
Do something creative that moves your heart and soul. Try a photography class or start your memoir. Draw, paint, sing or dance. These things make you light.

9. Tell
Feeling grateful, sorry, loving or anything else is for you. Telling your feelings is for them. 3 words or less can say so much and tell people how you feel to make them feel the love. 3 words will strengthen your bond or start a connection.

• I am sorry.
• Thank you.
• You are loved.

10. Love
Getting light will make you more loving, and being more loving will make you light. When you are making decisions, ask yourself, “Is this love?”

Choose light. Choose love.