live better : love better

Valentine’s Day ~ and it’s one of those days that gets either the most bashing or praise. Either you love it or hate it or have re-prioritized your life in such a way that it affects you in a small way – and for each of us, in a different way. Sure, the commercialism is too much, but in the end, you choose how you want to spend your money and how you show someone you care.

The emphasis and soul behind this holiday is the magical four letter word : Love

Oh but please don’t reserve showing that you love someone only one day out of the year. And although we quickly assume that love is for a two person relationship, dating, partnership and marriage; there are different kinds of Love. And there are also ways to Love Better.

♥

Romance

Keep romance alive in the little things every day. Discover each other on many different levels ~ non sexually. From little childhood stories to the most embarrassing.  Hold hands, kiss every day. Trust your instincts. Make sure you both see each other growing old together. Share your dreams and interests.  Allow room for your own hobbies. Laugh often and giggle like little children. Smile without words. Surprise each other with sweet things. Communicate openly. Always try to be a better listener. Be respectful. Know when to disagree and how to disagree. Always make up before going to bed. Be honest with your feelings – tell each other how you feel about them with sweet words.

Go with your gut feelings and don’t force it. You are two puzzle pieces trying to see if you fit. And you’ll know if you fit.

♥

Marriage

Repeat all the steps from the previous paragraph. Although I assume you’ve added sex to the mix ;)

Still, keep romance alive in the little things every day. Still, discover each other on many different levels ~ especially sexually. Share more childhood stories and more embarrassing ones that now the other one has probably witnessed.  Still, hold hands and kiss every day. Trust your instincts – hope you still have them. Still see each other growing older together. Share more of your dreams and interests.  Even more so, allow room for your own hobbies. Laugh often still and giggle like little children and smile without words. Surprise each other with the other person’s favourite dinner, flowers, little somethings that you know the other person appreciates. Communicate openly. Always try to be a better listener. Be respectful. Know when to disagree and how to disagree. Still, make up before going to bed ~ or make up after the first day one of you sleeps on the couch. Be honest with your feelings – tell each other how you feel about them with sweet words and true appreciation and love. Remember that a successful marriage doesn’t just happen it requires nurturing every day.

♥

Family

Now you can laugh often and giggle with your child or children. Make time for family time. Prioritize parenting whenever possible. Create a beautiful mealtime ritual where you sit together as a family from the time they are in diapers to teenagers to adults. Talk openly. Express your feelings well and teach them to do the same. Teach them everything and if you don’t know something, google it together or go to the library and learn about it together. Hug 154781 times a day (slight exaggeration). Give each other butterfly kisses, eskimo kisses, boo boo kisses, you’ve-done-a-great-job kisses and just-because-I-love-you kisses. As the parents, kiss and hug each other near your kids so they can see your love also. Teach them about the different types of love. Go for walks together, book family trips, and have movie and popcorn family nights. Family hugs are strongly encouraged daily. Take photos of everything you do to make memories last a lifetime.

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As a sibling, nurture your love for your brother or sister. Call them, email them, catch up on facebook, have coffee dates and beer nights. Ask how they are and listen to the answer. Make sure they know they can count on you and you can count on them. Show encouragement and support. Laugh and hug. Have your own secret stories and childhood memories. Not everyone has siblings, if you’re lucky to have them in your life ~ hold onto them and tell them how lucky you are to have them in your life.

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As a daughter, or son, nurture your love for your parents if they or one of them are still around. Respect them. Listen to them. Offer advice but do not change who they are. Know that they’re usually stubborn in their ways by now and no matter what you do it will have little affect on them and could cause you problems. Accept them as they are. Don’t hold any remorse towards them if you have had hardship in the past. Start over if you can. Care for them and tell them and show them that you care. Hug them when you see them and see them as often as you can. Schedule in time with them with yourself  or together with your family and your children, not just on big holidays. If you have children, make sure you plan visits for quality time with their grandparents. Take photos of them and record special moments with them for your children to have as keepsakes. Love them and tell them you love them as often as you can.

♥

Friendship

There can be love in a friendship. You don’t need many friends, unless it’s on facebook ;) Sometimes, even one is enough to call a true friend. You don’t just get a friend like you do with siblings – these you actually get to pick yourself – which is amazing news for some. A friendship, like any relationship needs to be nurtured. Closeness comes with time and the energy you both put into your relationship. A little romancing needs to be made so to speak. A walk in the park, a coffee date, a movie night. Endless conversations. Moments in comfortable silence. Laughter through the good days. Hugs and compassion through the bad days. Being there for your friend when you know they need you. Calling just to say hello. Feeling you can tell them anything. Seeing them be happy with your successes and you with theirs. But you can’t take things too personally. Say sorry when sorry is due, and don’t wait too long to do that either. Everyone changes and evolves, sometimes you may not be on the same page at a certain time in your life, but a true friendship will pick up where you left off as if it was yesterday.

♥

Pets

There’s a reason a dog is called a man’s best friend. Pets have a way to bring physical and psychological health to people. They offer companionship and unconditional love. They also reduce stress, put a smile on your face and take you for a walk outside ;) When you come home at the end of a long day, they’re there to happily greet you and get you off the couch when it’s time for a walk. Not only you’re out and about walking your dog, but you’re usually socializing with other people you might meet on your walk, especially other dog owners. It will give you a routine to look forward to. These routines provide you with exercise, a fun activity and fresh air. And that applies to other pets, not only dogs. All pets prevent loneliness and provide companionship. Cats are a lovely cuddlers ready to comfort you whenever you need it. People talk to their pets, like we do with our bird, and we build a relationship with her. People can connect with a pet and feel love for them and receive love back. It’s a beautiful relationship.

♥

Passionate Living

Love can go beyond pets and humans. A passionate living for your career, sport, hobby or even nature or cooking also encompasses feelings of emotional love from within you. Creativity can be a passion that can also be love. If you are a crafty person you know best the great happiness you feel when you paint, craft, sew or knit etc. If you love photography, you know the emotional level a perfect capture can make you feel. A devotion into a career, your own business or even a small business on the side can elevate you into being a powerful and passionate individual. Love is passion and passion is a drive to achieve what you want. Running, hiking, sky-diving – going after your goal with strength and determination requires love for what you do. Being in nature, gardening and cooking even the simplest of meals or experimenting in the kitchen will also fulfill your passion and make you enjoy what you do more because of the love you’ve put into it.

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Self-Love

Create romance within yourself for yourself. Treat your own self with kindness and love. Keep your dreams alive. Be hopeful for the best. Say sweet things to yourself in your inner voice or even out loud to the bathroom mirror reflection. You are great! Hold your head up hight – but not too high. Being humble is the path to a true power within yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Don’t criticize everything you do. Don’t think too much. Don’t dwell on the mistakes you’ve made or things you should have done but didn’t. Accept your past. Accept yourself they way you are right now.

You are beautiful inside and out. Love yourself but ask yourself if you ‘like’ yourself. Maybe the person you are right now isn’t making you really happy. Love and happiness don’t always present themselves in big neon lights. You need to go after it. You need to open up those forgotten wings to their full capacity ~ spread them and take off to discover your full potential and passion. Always believe in yourself. If there is a set goal you have in mind, whether it be loosing weight, improving your health, focusing on your hobby or business ~ think of the nike slogan “just do it”. If you’re not happy with yourself and are going through a rough time – remember that usually an increase in physical activity and a switch to a healthier diet will often times give you a great boost of energy, strength and attitude to follow through with your personal goals. Remember, if you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re right.

Always love yourself and take good care of yourself ~ there is only one of you.

True Love is True Happiness. Nurture the love in your life and in turn have true happiness.

Ask yourself, how can you love better?