There is nothing like a warm embrace, especially when you really need one. They says hugs are very beneficial to our health and that's so amazing to me that hugs can serve many purposes. A hug is a universal form of affection. I love that you can hug when you're scared, happy, and sad. So many emotions can trigger this simple act. Because of the emotions behind it, hugs can create stronger bonds between people.

Do you ever receive a hug and you realize you're just a little bit happier? That's because it lowers your stress levels and makes us more relaxed! I don't know about you, but when I'm stressed, I always want a hug. There is a hormone released called Oxytocin and that is what makes us a little bit more chipper after embracing someone. I've always heard that if you hug someone for more than 20 seconds, that your day is improved and it improves your health so I always make sure I make the hug last because you never know who really needs one.

I'm a hugger and I come from a family of huggers. We hug people when they come in and we hug people when they leave, even strangers. That's just what we do, but I have noticed that when you are hugging a stranger, you do not feel as awkward around them and there's a little bit more of a comfortable feeling that surrounds both parties.

A full embrace requires both arms, so if you are one of those people who does a one armed hug just know that those are not as effective. The power within a hug is not prominent when you are not fully committing to it.

Think of a hug as a good kind of medicine you do not need a prescription for. Hugs express things better than we can with our words. We live in a world with still so much hate and we need to spread more kindness and love. Hug one another and see how powerful it can be.