Holly, the owner of Oak Park Dailey Method, asked me to write February’s Newsletter and the topic was LOVE, I thought, who am I to write an essay on love? I’m in the middle of a divorce……and then I remembered, I remembered what has carried me through the most challenging times in my life.

love

Love has carried me through.

love
noun

1. an intense feeling of deep affection.
2. a great interest and pleasure in something.

verb

1. feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone).

Love is unconditional. The word “unconditional” means that there are no expectations or limitations set. To love unconditionally is a difficult thing, and most humans aren’t good at that. But true love really does love without our trying to change the other person.

We are with our bodies, minds, and our souls 24/7, 365. There is no escaping. What if we were to look inward for love instead of outward? What if we were to take our energy and pour love within. What if we were to take our energy and deep feelings of affection and intensely tell ourselves, “I love you! I love you and I am exactly who I am suppose to be. I love you and I am exactly where I am supposed to be at this very moment. I LOVE YOU!”

Over and over and over again.

What if we all placed our hands on our hearts and felt our very own breath? Breathing into our own hearts, to feel the beating of our hearts and finding great pleasure in knowing our own souls.

What if we felt a deep stirring, a romantic feeling towards ourselves? It seems odd, but at the same time, not so odd. WE ARE WITH OURSELVES 24/7/365. What if we were excited about spending time with ourselves.

What if we loved ourselves unconditionally, with no expectations or limitations?
Having 15.5 years sober it recently became apparent to me, if I were to truly love myself, I must love all of me. Unconditionally. All the mistakes. All the fuck-ups. All the bad decisions. Along with all the good. All the growth. Who I am now. What I have become. What I stand for. I have to love all of me without picking only the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that I think are worthy of love. When I did that, I found the freedom that love is intended to give us. Finding love, within yourself, is finding your soul. That is freedom.

I’d love to share how I was able to love all of me. Some of you know…..

Sit or stand tall. Lengthen the crown of head towards the sun, feeling your spine straighten. Roll your shoulders back. Palms outstretched. Shoulders roll back. Chin lifts. Eyes closed. Place one hand on your heart.

Inhale deeply, as shoulders rise.
Feel your heartbeat.
Hold……
Exhale forcefully, as your shoulders drop, feel the blades slide down your back.
(REPEAT 4 TIMES)
Tell yourself, outloud…..
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I am beautiful.
I am strong.
I am smart.
I am brave.
I am funny.
I am kind.
I am loving.
I am generous.
I am creative.
I am amazing.
I am awesome.
I am unstoppable.
I am love.

Eyes flutter open. Look at yourself. Straight in your eyes. Own you. Feel you. Love you.

When we have the courage to love ourselves fully, we become whole. We heal from whatever we need to heal from. WE ALL HAVE ENOUGH LOVE IN OUR VERY OWN SOULS, OUR VERY OWN HEARTS, TO BE FULFILLED. Then, our love spills over into every relationship, every person we meet.

All we need is within.