People love to give advice, but do they actually live the advice they are giving? Do you? Taking your own inventory about your behavior is mandatory to self-love and acceptance. Being able to “walk your talk” is the challenge.
“Today I will make sure that the advice I give is the advice I live.”
Life is made up of moments. We miss them when we are living in the past or worrying about the future. I have talked about being in the present, so try this, just for one minute.
“Today I will stop wherever I am for one minute and notice the moment, really experience what is happening and know that it will never come again.”
In the face of great adversity we look deep within ourselves to ask, “Are the things I have been worrying or complaining about really important?” This does not mean turning a blind eye to our problems, rather that we put those problems in perspective. Disagreements with others cannot keep us from standing as one when one of us has suffered great loss. We must come together to heal and find solutions, or the challenge we face only wins again.
“Today I will put my problems in perspective and find common ground to heal and Love.”
Being someone who is always looking forward can sometimes make it hard to stay in
today. Being mindful and experiencing “the NOW” requires discipline and faith. That tomorrow will be a new day to experience and to obsesses on it would be to dishonor today.
“Today I will live in the “gift of the present” and let tomorrow unfold without worry.”
Do you know why you do nice things for others? Is it motivated by needing to be liked? Fear of abandonment? Being in control? Or does it just feel good? There is no such thing as altruism, we ALWAYS get something in return, even if it is just a nice feeling.
“Today I will take a look at my motivations and practice taking action from Love.”
In a world that frequently feels overwhelming, we do have control over our own experience, it just takes practice to respond rather than react. To develop the discipline to check yourself before rushing headlong into hysteria, this is the basis of maturity, to be an adult.
“Today I will respond, not react, and practice the discipline of choosing love.”
That was me as a kid. I was so afraid you wouldn’t like me, I kept myself apart first so you couldn’t reject me. And I know exactly when it happened. We moved and I was in the third grade, new school and a new town, I felt like an outsider and unfortunately, with no one to help me work through that feeling, my 8 year old self took the only course of action I could come up with. Protect my heart at all costs. I ate lunch alone, I did my work alone, I did not reach out and so I thought that made me safe. I continued this pattern until I was 28 years old. And then
a series of events that led to my divorce and utter despair brought me to my knees and I finally asked for help. When I was ready to finally accept that the energy that is ME was perfect, beautiful, and deserving of love, I was ready to reach out to other women and be vulnerable. The “armor” I had created to protect my heart was peeled away and I had to learn how to be a friend, first to myself and then to others. Now, almost 30 years later I can look back and see the journey from “worst enemy” to “my own champion”.
This is why I wrote Love First, my own story of love and acceptance that I want to share with all of you.
“Today I will see if I am my own enemy or my own champion and be willing to become a better friend to myself.”
Knowing when to stand up for yourself and when to walk away is one of the great lessons of life. By practicing Love First, we create the space to take a moment to make this decision from Love, not Fear.
“Today I will choose from Love and let it guide my decisions.”
I love this word as it completely describes jetlag! Your mind just isn’t working properly as your sleep rhythm is disturbed. But the good news is that if you are practicing Love First, you know how to give yourself a break, don’t take action too soon, and get yourself back on track! More travels await me, so I shall practice what I preach.
“Today, if I don’t feel my best I will be patient and get myself back on track.”
When we honor ourselves we show others how to honor us, too. How have you honored yourself today?
“Today I will behave honorably to myself and others.”