Love More

July 8, 2020

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“Love More, Worry Less.”

That old quote that everyone says. (eye roll) Yea, yea, yea…We’ve heard it all before. Seen it laminated on a perfectly framed wall in someones living room. The fact of the matter is the older I get, the more this quote resonates with me. Why? Cause I have learned that everything on this planet, from the trees to the animals to the people who consume it are all joined together through love. What is our purpose if we don’t love and protect the people around us, our planet, or OURSELVES? I truly believe if you start to love more deeply, the universe around you will change in a positive way. Not only will you notice a positive energy around you but there will be less worry and anxiety in your life. When you have LOVE to give…things truly start to happen around you for the better. Positive energy creates inner peace and happiness and isn’t THAT the ultimate goal in life?

Okay, I know what you may be thinking. Amanda, have you gone nuts? NO, I have just been reading a lot during quarantine and thought I should share some of my insights. After reading some books which all pertain to finding inner peace and happiness, my cousin and I got to talking on her deck (while tanning of course) about the main thing all these books have in common. It’s LOVE. WHOA! Mind blown. This does not mean in order to find happiness, you need to find the love of your life. I am not talking about that kind of love. I am talking about loving your friends/relationships, the planet, and most importantly, YOURSELF. When you can truly love all these things, I believe positive energy will start to uplift your life and you will notice change…and I mean good change in your life.

LOVE THY FRIENDS

Next time you are with a group of friends, remember to love them more deeply. Be kind and go out of your way to show them you care. Giving is the best form of happiness. Hold your friends, family, and significant other a little tighter next time you see them (I might have to rephrase that sentence due to COVID). Instead of holding them, offer to help them with something they know has been praying on their minds. Show up to their house (not unannounced) with a nice house warming gift just because. I promise you, the more you give, the better you will feel. Once you start being kind and smiling more, the universe notices and gives you the power to reach self-actualization (your highest fulfillment of one’s talents).

LOVE THY PLANET

Be kind to this earth. This doesn’t mean go vegan and start an anti-meat protest. But hey, if you want to do this, by all means, do it! This is a judgment free blog. 🙂 What I am saying is by loving the planet, you really truly have to appreciate it. One day, go for a walk and just listen. Listen to the birds chirping, the trees blowing, bees buzzing and then look. Really look at the beauty of the sky, the trees, the animals running freely in a park or a meadow and then finally… BREATHE. Breathe in the fresh air that this beautiful earth provides. I guarantee after you take a walk at your favorite park and truly appreciate the beauty of it, you’ll feel better.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOVE THY SELF

Here’s another quote we have all heard that of course, I want to punch in the face:

“You have to love yourself, before you can love someone else.”

Yes, it’s an annoying quote but it’s so true! If you can’t love yourself, how the hell do you expect someone else to love you? It is not someone else’s job to help/teach you to love yourself. Girl, you need to learn that on your own and be that badass b*tch you need to be for yourself and not for anyone else.

Imagine you’re on a date with Kevin whom you’ve met on Hinge. All of sudden Kevin starts fidgeting, seems insecure and not confident. He starts rambling on about about how he doesn’t think he’s good enough and he doesn’t like to be alone. UMMMMM RED FLAGS and this will probably make you run, not walk, away from the table…but you’re nice, so after he pays for dinner, you kindly never speak to him again. As you should, you do not need to feel bad for this person and it’s certainly not your job to save someone. This is just an example of how not loving yourself fully creates insecurity and in return repels you from relationships in all aspects (poor Kevin). Anyway, what I am trying to say is, if you can’t love yourself and I mean truly be OKAY by yourself, doing you, then you haven’t reached that self-love that creates true happiness. I am not saying it’s easy, but try it! Below are some tips to reaching self-love:

Create time for yourself – We often forget to take time alone. This is extremely important, whether you are in a relationship or not. You need time alone, from friends, family and your significant other. Time to just relax and watch your favorite show by yourself or time to do your favorite hobby. Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, make sure you take the time to do it.
Take care of yourself every day – Eat healthy, exercise, and pamper yourself. Of course, do not forget your cheat days! It’s okay to indulge in your favorite ice cream or an occasional Kraft mac and cheese or McDonald’s on those days. Do you girl! Eat that BIG MAC! Pamper yourself by scheduling a nail/hair appointment, a massage, a facial, Botox, fillers…whatever it is that will make YOU happy. No one else. It’s so important to continue to take care of yourself in order to reach true happiness. This doesn’t mean take care of yourself once a month, it means once a day, even if it’s just closing your eyes to pray, meditate or breathe.
Be independent! – Take charge of your life. If you’re unsure of something, take a class and learn how to do it. This could be anything – from learning how to cook to learning how to prioritize your bills. This one is the hardest for me. I LOVE myself on all levels but when it comes to this I struggle a bit, so come January 2021, I am making it my goal to move out of my parents and into my own big girl apartment all by myself. Which brings me to my next tip:
Set goals for yourself – Setting goals and then checking off that box is the ultimate satisfaction and with satisfaction comes happiness. 🙂 Go ahead and write 5 goals you want to accomplish by the end of this year and start acting on them. You will feel lighter and a lot of self-love once you’ve accomplished them. It’s okay to be proud of yourself when you do!
Don’t compare yourself to others – This is also a hard one, especially with social media and filters being the norm these days. It’s extremely difficult not to scroll through Instagram and not think to yourself, “She’s prettier, she’s skinnier, she’s….” Just STOP. This will get you no where. I know it’s easier said than done, but next time those thoughts go through your head, put your phone down and read a book, meditate, OR put on that #LBD you just bought and go out with the girls. GIRL, you’re hot and you know it. Especially with a nice red lip and stilettos. 😉

Bottom line, if you love a little more, things in your life will fall in place in a positive way. The universe will react to your positive energy and in return give you the guidance you will need to reach inner peace and happiness. After-all, doesn’t everyone deserve happiness? Remember, we are all connected through love so next time you are out and about…smile, laugh, and most importantly LOVE more.