Ground Yourself in Love. Love is a growth experience. I’m not speaking of romantic love, necessarily, but universal love, which is the essence of life itself. You can tap into this powerful force with something as simple as music, “I love this song!” – and your whole day goes along more smoothly. Love is the all-encompassing, universal power that enables growth and discovery. Healing, change, progress and creativity flourish when rooted in love. Plato said, “At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.” Here are a couple of exercises you can use to tap into universal love:
Practice Loving Yourself. Practice regarding each and every living being as miraculous and indispensable. Include yourself in this process. Learning to love yourself is an essential building block in the kickass personal transformation process. Your relationship with yourself is the foundation and precursor of all other relationships in your life. Be kind, respectful, fearless, loyal, and longsuffering toward yourself and you will discover greater and deeper insights into what you can and will accomplish as you travel the road of life.
Daily Affirm and Accept Love. When you daily affirm and acknowledge that you are loved and loving, you empower yourself to make a positive impact on your environment and everyone you encounter. At each day’s end, meditate on the love you’ve witnessed, received and given.
The more you love — the more you learn to accept, give and receive love, the more you grow and develop your authentic personality and life force. Remember that forgiveness, a sense of humor, and an optimistic attitude make it easier to live in a state of universal love. Let go of resentment, envy, and self-pity — they’ll restrict your progress and make you miserable. Think about love — focus on the people, principles, attitudes, and things you love and let your mind open itself to the limitless joys and possibilities which surround you. You’ll grow in strength, wellness and self-reliance. And you’ll begin to feel a whole lot happier and more connected to life itself.
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” — Lao Tzu, Taoist Philosopher
Roll With It. When human beings allow themselves to experience altruistic love, or passion for a cause, they’re empowered to overcome tremendous obstacles in pursuit of that cause. Likewise, when we transfer our focus from our own solitary ambition to thinking about and appreciating family, friends, etc., we find we can achieve much, much more.
Try this exercise, either upon waking or just before going to sleep at night: Think, “Who do I love?” Let your mind relax and visualize each person’s face or some aspect of their personality, a cherished memory. You may want to include yourself in this list, since learning to love ourselves is empowering and healing to self-esteem. Concentrate on the positive feelings — love and courage — called up by this process, and make a mental prayer or wish for your loved ones’ well-being. Next, think, “Who loves me?” Now relax and visualize each person as they come to mind.
Again, including yourself on the list can be beneficial. Allow yourself to experience all of the positive feelings that are being released as you engage in this exercise. Say a mental “thank you,” for all the love and support you’ve received, and allow yourself to experience the desire to reciprocate. If you apply yourself to this process for a period of days or weeks, you’re sure to benefit.