Week 4 February 6 – The Time and Space for Self Love

Love, like a seed dropped into the soil, only grows by a desire to reach the light. Brene Brown believes we “cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known.” Love is NOT something we give or get. It’s not words that are spoken or written. it’s a connection based on trust, respect and kindness. Like that seed blossoming from the cold darkness it seeks nourishment to survive. This means focusing attention on our actions and behaviors and creating mutuality of mind, body, heart and soul. Love is not simply an emotion, it’s an action that must be practiced EVERY DAY. Most importantly, in order to create healthy, loving connections with others, we must first love ourselves.

Practicing self love is by far NOT a new topic. Philosophers, psychiatrists, personal coaches have touted the value of self love for years. Viktor Frankl, in his poignant account of concentration camp experiences in the book Man’s Search for Meaning, says “Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire.” The paradox is that we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

Practicing self love begins with self awareness. By committing quiet focused time and attention, we open the door to listen to our inner voice often drowned out by daily tasks and relationships. When we let go of satisfying the needs of others, filling our days with meaningless distractions and making choices which contradict our worthiness and value, we cultivate self love. The more we let go, the more time and space we create.

Here’s our writing prompt for the day:

When I let go of_________ it will release time for__________

If you would like to experience more of these writing exercises, here’s a link to all the Twelve Truths posts.