Giving Love To Ourselves and Others

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ~ Lao Tzu

Happy Valentine’s Day

Hello friends! Happy Monday AND Happy Valentine’s Day! If you follow me on Instagram you know I do Motivational Monday each week where I share quotes that have resonated with me, as well as encouragement and uplifting advice. Well, I feel it is fitting that this year V-Day happens to fall on Motivational Monday, because while I feel like every day is a day to spread love, there is something about the two coinciding together that just makes it extra special for ALL the good things.

I admit I have not always been a fan of Valentine’s Day as I have shared that in the past on here, but having had the minute day to day taken away from us with the pandemic, even a Hallmark holiday (and I do love Hallmark!) deserves to be celebrated and acknowledged. Life is to short to NOT celebrate the big and the small. I do believe every day is a chance to show and spread love, not just today. It is so incredibly important to tell those around you, you love them. You never know how much of an impact it might make on someone. I experienced that first hand, when someone who has become an incredibly good friend the last few years, not only sent me words of encouragement and strength, but bought me coffee because she knew it would cheer me up, when I was having an incredibly rough time last month. It meant the world, and while the coffee was amazing, her actions and words, have been making me smile weeks later.

Loving Yourself 

Love is not just a gift, but it is the one thing from the moment we are born we are united in having the ability to do. To love ourselves, and to love others. Especially as children we gift it so freely, we are so self assured before life starts to jade us and that love, before disappointment, failure, our own learned or perhaps inherited insecurities, and most importantly unrequited love, impact us and change us so deeply.

But what if we didn’t? Yes unrequited love whether it is in the form of romance, friendship, even family, sucks. It hurts when it isn’t reciprocated, but the thing is, it shouldn’t be given out of wanting something in return. It should be given, freely, because you have so much of it you just want to spread it and share it. And when you love yourself, truly love and ACCEPT yourself, you will.

That isn’t to say you won’t have moments of insecurity or self-doubt, or that it doesn’t take constant work, we’re human, not Cupid, but you are so in YOUR power, in your love, that those moments won’t take over. The fear and rejection aren’t more powerful then the love, and you won’t keep your heart guarded or closed off. Heck love CAN be scary, especially if you don’t feel it is returned, but then that is when it is the most powerful, when it is so selflessly given and when you do that you are creating positive ripples in this world that we so desperately need, and we are stepping into our highest power.

Tell People You Love Them 

I am not a resolution person as most of you know, but if I were to make one it would be to spread more love and always tell the people that matter, that they, well matter. It is something I have been trying to do more of. I am not a random texter, and I suck at DM’s, but it is so incredibly important, especially the last few years that have been filled with so much upheaval, to lift people up, especially those who matter to us. Like your friends shit on social, even if it doesn’t matter to you, if THEY matter to you, then support them. Reach out and tell them how amazing they are, and how much you admire them. Show up for them. Venmo them coffee, (I literally sobbed at that one, and no it had nothing to do with pain and hormones) support their business. Let’s lift people up with positivity and love. Let those ripples turn into a magnificent ocean in a world that really does need it. Hurt people hurt people, so let’s spread the friction love friends.

I promise I am finishing up my impromptu TED talk, which truthfully has been so cathartic with the day I had and I hope it helps you just as much if not more! Whether it is Valentine’s Day or just a random day on the calendar, please tell people you love them and how much they mean to you. I know it can be scary but why with hold love when you can just say it and spread it? Even when it isn’t reciprocated YOU are being a light. You are being love. And that is never ever a bad thing. The last couple years have taught me one incredibly important lesson, and that is I would much rather be love, and spread love, and share love and get hurt a thousand times, then build walls up and never have those connections. To love is an incredibly beautiful and human trait and that is not something to throw away, but to embrace. Happy Valentine’s Day friends! I love you and I am so grateful for all of you for being here. <3

How are you spending Valentine’s Day? How are you embodying love?