Love Is…

Love is many things. Love is patient. Love is kind…..the familiar reading to the Corinthians we have heard many times before. Love is loving yourself first so that you have the capacity within you — within your heart and soul —- to give love ten times more to the people, things, tasks, services, and beings all around you.

For many years I couldn’t pin point this. I thought that giving of myself to others before putting myself first was the way of life. And giving to others is a way of life, but by not dedicating time to your own self growth, or as I like to call it, continual watering of the most precious plant, you forget about your own self. Self worth. Self value. Self love.

Society demands so much of us, day in and day out. The world is moving at a fast pace, and I honestly can’t see that changing too much. And really, change is constant, so we need to be involved in societal change in order to evolve as a human race. However, at the cost of our own self love? It doesn’t have to be much each day. It doesn’t have to draw energy out of you, but rather into you.

Take some time to reflect, and ask yourself what you may need in your life to show grace, gratitude and love to your own being in order to be able to pay that love forward without any hesitation, or any regret, but rather out of complete love!

• A good night’s sleep
• Yoga
• Taking 5 minutes at the top of your day to write in a gratitude journal
• Daily meditation
• Going for a massage
• Making a great comfort meal
• Getting your nails done
• Dancing
• Coffee with your best friend
• Goal Journal
• Making your meals the day before to prep for your day ahead
• Spending time with people who fill your bucket
• Bringing out your inner child
• Waking up fresh in the morning and carrying out what you need before you answer your emails
• Playing a game of soccer, baseball, tennis or hockey
• Taking a walk by the lake
• Going for a run

Wondering how you can get started on this? Look into your agenda or calendar to your first free day, weekend, two free hours, or where there may be an opportunity to call on someone to watch your children and block that day/time off. That’s for you. The first time may be three or four weeks in advance, but I promise you, much like any healthy habit, once you start to see the impact that this has on the rest of your life, and your relationships, the more you will start to make time for You. If someone calls for an appointment during that time or day, be honest, tell them you have a date already – with Yourself!