How many hugs have you given or received today?
image: angrylittlegirls.com
I attended a workshop on yoga assisting over the weekend and this was the first time I’ve heard of this: “It takes 4 hugs a day to survive, 8 hugs a day to maintain, and 12 hugs a day to grow and thrive.“ (Virgina Satir)
The skin is the biggest organ in the body and the sense of touch is our natural way of responding to emotions such as pain, stress, joy, love, happiness, and compassion.
Hugs are healthy for the body and especially the soul. They speak louder than words. They boost self esteem and provide security. Hugs reach inside and touch your soul. Hugs reduce tension and increases blood flow. Hugs heal. Studies have shown that although infants who were well fed, kept clean and warm had a higher mortality rate because they were deprived of touch. Look at us now… we substitute big bear hugs for cyber hugs. Here’s the symbol: { } just in case you needed a hug right now.
So how are you gonna get your 12 hugs a day? Try these:
1. say good morning with a hug.
2. say thank you with hug.
3. say good-bye with a hug.
3. say good night with a hug.
4. give a hug instead of giving a hand shake.
5. hug a stranger.. why not? the only contagious thing you’re gonna catch is probably a smile.
6. hug your pet.. they get it that’s why they’re always nudging you to pet them.
7. hug a family member… especially the ones you’d normally not hug. They probably need it the most.
8. hug your coworkers… ok so some places forbid it, but geez hugs don’t have to be creepy crawly
9. spoil your kids with hugs *not things* and hug your significant other too without any sexual context.
10. Get a “FREE HUGS” button or make a t-shirt 
11. Ask for a hug… even if you “don’t need” one. Why is it that we only say, “I need a hug” when we’re feeling sad or lonely?
12. Lastly, give yourself a hug. Do it often.
Practice often. Just like the fishy handshake, fishy loosey goosey hugs don’t count. You know those ones where you wrap your arm around the other person just enough to pat them on the back. No. You must hug for at least 10 seconds. Feel their warmth. Maybe even a heart beat. Follow some of these with kisses too
Check out the guy, Juan Mann, who started the free hugs movement:
I’ll too try it…
I cant 12 hugs every day.bt i’ll do it whenever i get a chance.i love that.
HUGS 2 U…{}
Love Love Love this Post!!!! Sending you 12 hugs…OOOOOOOOOOOO:)
Great article – I love your 12 suggestions for how to get hugs! I’m going to share this on Facebook
So true too that a hug as to be at least 10 seconds else it doesn’t count! A hug is a hug, a connection, not a quick embrace/unembrace with a slap on the back – that’s more like a handshake than a hug really!
I thought you might be interested to know that there’s now a revolutionary way to turn your free hugs into Concrete Change in the world. On the Hug It Forward web site, you can track your free hugs on a Google Map. For each hug registered, sponsors donate $1 to build “bottle schools” – schools built from plastic bottles and other re-used plastic “waste”!
Happy hugging!!!
I admit to having mixed feelings about hugs, but I absolutely love the video about the Free Hugs movement. (I don’t have anything against hugs. I actually quite like them, I’m just not a natural hugger and don’t know how to initiate hugs. And I apparently also give off anti-hug vibes because I don’t get many non-family hugs, either.)
Thanks for this post. It’s lovely!
this reminds me of the alec baldwins boss on 30 rock… “a hug doesn’t count if its less than __ seconds!”
soo lovely. going right now to hug an elf. xo
really neat little idea!
and very true about infants from what i’ve read, need touch for feeling loved, and to actually sense their boundaries (where their skin ends and the world outside starts) of their physical self, wow huh?
and pets? oh, my, ours, mostly cats, were pigs for hugs
my only suggestion to your list: “once in a while” add a little sexual context to your spouse’s hug, why not
I love this and I know I’m not currently getting 12 hugs a day. Must work on this! { }
wow. great post. i always knew the power of hugs but loved seeing it broken down into numbers. i def have to lift my hug quota for the day. off i go
❤
Love it! Hugs to you! : )