Why bother with love?
February is the month of “love”. We are constantly told this in the lead up to Valentine’s Day and reminded of it on the radio, TV adverts, signs on shop windows, twitter feeds. It’s everywhere you look on February 14th – Cupid cardboard cut-outs, flowers, hearts, couples in restaurants, people hugging, red balloons, heart-shaped chocolates! It even pops up on the Google search engine.
Image courtesy of Google, 2014.
You can’t really ignore it unless you happen to hide away for the first fortnight in February.
However when Valentine’s Day is over for another year we shouldn’t just shut our eyes or our hearts to love. Love doesn’t just happen in February! Love is for every day, every moment.
I have mentioned before in my blog about 10 actions you need to do for yourself and particularly about the importance of loving yourself. I still believe it to be true that it IS possible to take care of your own needs while also caring for those around you at the same time. In fact once your needs are met you will be far more capable of helping those who need you most!
It is really important that you love yourself first. Why should you be first? Do you really expect others to believe that you love them when you do not love yourself? You cannot be egotistical when it comes to love. You are not so different or special that you can show love to others but not to yourself. So put aside any thoughts you have about where love comes from or what you are looking for in love and stop overlooking the one person who needs love the most!
Love doesn’t happen by accident.
It is deliberate.
It is intentional.
It is purposeful.
There are two things that I want you to do right NOW!
1. Write down 3 things that you love about yourself! Place this piece of paper in a place where you will look at it EVERY day until the end of February.
2. Express your love! Write down the names of 3 people you love – call them today or tell them in person (Don’t text! It doesn’t count!)
Love yourself and be completely at ease about loving yourself!
1 Corinthians 16:14
Dr Susie Mitchell 