I’ve been thinking about love a lot lately.
How much it means. How much it helps.
How scary it is. How much it hurts.
But how much it heals.
I’ve been thinking about all the big and little ways I’ve loved with abandon throughout my life, how it’s broken me (more than) a few times, of course. But in general, how much it’s always enhanced the quality of every bit of my life experience.
Then, it seems, I’ve become acutely aware lately of my loving with abandon apparently being a bad thing, wrong. I’ve fallen for it. For a while now.
Don’t love your life too much or too openly or outwardly.
Don’t love what you do too passionately.
Don’t love people too enthusiastically or unconditionally.
And especially, don’t love yourself too abundantly.
I think I’m done with all that. Conditional, muted, qualified love.
Like, what if we expressed more love? In words, deeds, loudly, quietly, personally, professionally. What would it look like and how would it feel?
What if we flat out allowed ourselves to feel more love? To accept it, wholeheartedly, from ourselves and from others, without downplaying our worthiness of it. How would that look and feel?
What if we just, like, blanketed that shit everywhere? Acknowledged that maybe it’s not such a bad place to start after all.
Every single time I let love rule, even when it’s hard – because it is, it can be difficult – it matters. It makes a difference. It brings me home, makes me better. And it’s not wrong. It’s not wrong.
Love and light and spiritual bypassing aren’t the answer. But love can be the answer.
When love leads, it opens doors, reveals common ground, opportunities, solutions, the answers that are right in front of us.
Maybe loving recklessly isn’t for you. (If it is, I’m right here with you.) But what about thoughtfully, intentionally, powerfully – and just one notch up from how you’ve been loving? What if, today, you gave it a real chance before anything else? What if you just made a little more room for love in your life and relationships, with yourself and with others?
What’s one way you can love yourself, show yourself love?
What’s one way, one place, you can see love?
What’s one way you can spread love outwardly?
What’s one way you can recognize and wield the power of love as a skill and a solution?
If we feel powerless to do anything else in a moment, this is one thing we have the power to do, one choice we have the power to make. I’m not real big on mantras, but I can’t help but listen to and focus on the one that keeps repeating itself in my head:
You can do this, love.
You can do this: love.
If you’re struggling to find self-love, I can help. Grab some time with me on the calendar below and let’s talk about it. You can also sign up for weekly love notes here. Or a totally free workshop to boost your body love here.
