Love Notes E-Book

Andy Cope

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 106

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2026

Beschreibung

An original and inspiring new perspective on love and flourishing

The world around us feels…off. Despite a never-ending parade of new technologies, new toys, and new distractions, it seems harder and harder to find time for the things that make us human and bring us authentic joy. It’s time to refocus on what’s truly important to us.

In Love Notes: A small book with a big heart, bestselling author and lifelong educator, teacher, and ‘doctor of happiness’, Andy Cope, teams up with first-time author Hannah Knowles and illustrator Amy Bradley to deliver an extraordinary new book designed to replenish and reinvigorate those parts of you that make you feel most human.

You’ll find a treasure trove of quotes, short stories, meaningful insights, and fun nonsense that all shed light on what gives our lives meaning: LOVE. There’s a catch, however. Andy, Hannah, and Amy insist that, once you’ve finished reading this book, you pass it on to the person in your life who needs it the most. That way, they can also enjoy:

• A recipe for personal flourishing that gives you the energy and mindset you need to give your best self to the people you love the most
• Timeless and inspiring advice to help you replenish your reserves of happiness and love
• Colourful and original illustrations that bring the authors’ unique perspectives to life

Designed to heal a divided world, Love Notes encourages readers to be less ‘selfie’ and more ‘othery’. It’s full of reminders of what it means to love and be loved. Dip in, smile, and pass it on to someone who matters. Because love isn’t meant to be kept — it’s meant to be shared.

Leseprobe

A smallbook witha BIGheart

Words by Dr Andy Cope & Hannah Knowles

Brought to life by Amy Bradley

A smallbook witha BIGheart

Words by Dr Andy Cope & Hannah Knowles

Brought to life by Amy Bradley

This edition first published 2026© 2026 by Andy Cope and Hannah Knowles

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse materialfrom this title is available at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

The right of Andy Cope and Hannah Knowles to be identified as the authors of this work hasbeen asserted in accordance with law.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ISBN 9781907312953 (Paperback)ISBN 9781907312977 (ePdf)ISBN 9781907312960 (ePub)

Cover Design: Amy Bradley

ForDAISY

LOVE rules

This book comes with two simple rules:

Rule #1, you have to actually read it. Everysentence, every word. Slooooowly. No skimming.

When you’ve absorbed the messages, pleasethink of someone you love, write their name onthe next page, and move to rule #2 …

Rule #2, you pass it on to that person. It’s apay-it-forward book. We’re hoping that by thetime you receive it, LOVE NOTES is frayedand tattered. That means it’s been passedon and on and on and on (and on …) in achain of unadulterated love. The following pageshould be full of names, some you might know,others you don’t.

If you are buying the book in mint condition,your job is to begin the chain. You’ve enteredthe love game at rule #1 which is super-thrillingbecause you are the love catalyst!

That sets you up nicely. As you’re reading andabsorbing the messages, you can be thinking

about who you’ll be passing LOVE NOTESonto.

Until then, it’s 100% yours.

HAPPY READING!

2

I [insert your name here .....................................]am the LOVE CATALYST.

I am passing the book to

because I LOVE YOU!

I am passing the book to

because I LOVE YOU!

I am passing the book to

because I LOVE YOU!

I am passing the book to

because I LOVE YOU!

Bad news. I [insert your name here

have got to buy a new book because this one’sfull! Doh! But good news, that makes me a LOVECATALYST!

3

KEEP

CALM

AND

START A

REVOLUTION

4

It’s love, actually

Here’s a challenge. We want you to organisethese five things into priority order. No cheat-ing or over-thinking, just total honesty.

In terms of importance to you (and they’reall important!), how would you rank thesefive things:

Relationships. Success. Money.Happiness. Health.

1

2

3

4

5

5

I did the ranking activity with a bunch of14-year-olds in Birmingham and they debated,argued and engaged. Some went for money astheir priority (‘Because, sir, if I had money Icould buy all the others’) but most went forrelationships, health or happiness.

We were about to move on when one of the ladsraised his hand and said, ‘Sir, you’ve missedsomething off the list.’

I looked at the five words emblazoned onthe screen and then back at the lad with afurrowed brow. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Love, sir. If you add love to the list it changeseverything.’

And 230 teenagers nodded in agreement. It’slove, actually.

6

Ten Time Outs…

1. Meal time is delicious. Savour it.

2. Family time is important. Cherish it.

3. Friend time is limited. Prioritise real ones.

4. Partner time is massive. Have fun!

5. Children time is precious. Be present.

6. Play time is fun. You’re never too old to jumpin puddles.

7. Work time is enriching. Add value.

8. Alone time is abundant. Like yourself.

9. Down time is rejuvenating. Schedule it.

10. Now time is all you ever have. Be in it.

11. (BONUS) The time for LOVE is always. BE love.

7

Replaceable

A few years ago, I was working long hours, travelling aroundthe country, hardly at home and not at all happy. Yet Icouldn’t stop.

It wasn’t until I was having lunch with a friend when shehonestly (and politely) said, ‘You know, you are replaceable.’

I sat there silently for a moment, wondering. I’m replace-able? Is that even true?

‘It’s not just you,’ she reassured. ‘We’re all replaceable. Pres-idents, prime ministers, CEOs … there’s always someone elsewho will step in.’

I sipped my fizzy water, pensively, as she delivered the killerline. ‘Except, of course, with our loved ones.’

I coughed up some fizz.

‘Our family and our friends,’ she said. ‘To your closest few –your tribe – you are 100% irreplaceable.’

Cue a lightbulb moment from me. She was absolutely right.Why was I spending all my time and energy doing a job thatI really didn’t enjoy that much? Double whammy – it was ajob that was taking me away from my irreplaceable peopleand moments.

So I took a metaphorical deep breath and made a change.It did mean saying ‘no’ to some opportunities at work. Therewere a few awkward meetings and a short-term financialhit. But ultimately it meant saying ‘yes’ to precious familymoments, time and opportunities I won’t ever get back.

And you know what? I don’t regret any of the businessmeetings, overnight stays, promotions and events I missed,because I was doing my other job. I’d committed to my mostimportant role: being a good human – being present – tothose that matter the most.

8

(Charlie Mackesy, author of The Boy, The Horse, The Raccoon,The Rabbit and The Mole) 1

1We reserve the right to get things mixed up.

Unleash your

special undies

It’s our belief that everyone is a superhero butthat too many people are pretending to benormal!

If you’re going to swell the ranks of being aneveryday superhero, you’ll be needing somespecial pants.

So here’s a favour you can do for yourself andyour partner, right now …

Pop upstairs to your bedroom and open yourunderwear drawer. In that drawer there willbe some undies that you don’t really fancy. Ifyou’re unsure which undies we’re talking about,it’s the misshapen, off-colour ones you wearwhen you’re poorly. Or gardening.

We want you to identify these last-resortknickers/boxers and remove them from yourdrawer. Bin them, burn them or bury them inyour garden so you never have to wear themagain.

Because tomorrow, when you’re showered,deodorised and getting dressed, you will openyour underwear drawer and in there will beyour ‘special pants’. Once again, you knowexactly which ones we mean.

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And we want you to wear your specialunderwear for work tomorrow. That meanswhen you pull up in the car park and stroll intowork you will have a certain sparkle, a swaggerand je ne sais quoi because you know what’scracking off down below.

Please note, our special pants top tip is notjust a giggle. Positive psychology has a term –enclothed cognition – which means super-duperunderwear is a legit way of making you feelgood.

The sad fact is that on Monday morning mostpeople’s aim is to get through the week orsurvive until their next holiday. Humanity’s inthe collective habit of wishing our weeks awayand placing happiness as a dot on the horizon.

Similarly, we tend to save our ‘special pants’ fora special occasion.

Here’s a focusing fact: the average lifespan is4,000 weeks. Life is a very short and precious

gift. You’ve got 4,000 weeks to make a dent in

the universe, so our ‘special pants’ top tip issimply a wake-up call.

It’s a reminder to quit waiting.

Every day is a special pants day because LIFE isthe ultimate special occasion.

#SpecialPants #EnclothedCognition #LoveNotes

The LOVE trilogy…

Ina science overload, we’re about to heap some psychologyon top of the body of knowledge from the previous page togive you the best night out ever …

Hedonism is about achieving a happiness high in double-quick time. Alcohol, chocolate and love are well-knownhappiness shortcuts, and while we’re not recommending youoverdose on them, they’re pretty safe in moderation.

So, for your delectation, here’s a wonderful study thatbrings these hedonistic shortcuts together in an explosionof love.

Boffins at the University of Bristol report that the key tolong-term happiness is, erm, gardening.

Therefore, our mind-blowing LOVE combo is this:

On Friday night, why not wear your best undies, grab abottle of red and a bar of choc in one hand, and theperson you love with the other, and lead them down to theallotment …

Mind. Blown!

RSPCY

Human beings are learning machines. We arefantastic at taking on new stuff.

But here’s the thing, to upgrade to the bestversion of yourself you need to un-learn, andguess what? Human beings are really bad at un-learning.

Those beliefs and grudges, that inner critic,gnawing away inside your head – once you’veinvited them in, they make themselves rightat home. These unwelcome visitors can becomean infestation. If every cell in your body iseavesdropping on your inner dialogue, you reallyneed to be careful what you say to yourself!

If you want to be the best version of yourself,a more loving and kinder human, then take agood look at some of the things you think anddo and ask yourself the question: Is this helpfulor harmful?

For example, holding onto a grievance isharmful. By not letting go of the past it ispolluting your present moment.

14

So here’s some wisdom from our brand newcharity, the RSPCY … the Royal Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to YOU.

It’s easy to hold a grudge. But if you stop andthink about it, who’s that grudge really hurting?

There really is no situation where hatred helps.So be kind to yourselfand let go. Remember,forgiveness is for you,not them! Choose love,always!