How to LOVE your life

Love Takes Work

It’s Valentine’s Day, and no matter what season of life you are in, one thing is obvious: this LOVE holiday takes some extra effort.

• Maybe you have been crafting homemade Valentine decor with your toddlers and young kids, preparing for class parties, or simply trying to remember that everyone is supposed to wear red to school today. It’s work. 
• Maybe you are in a season of wanting a relationship, but it hasn’t happened yet. Enduring the social media accounts of your peers can be hard work on a day like today. Even if you DON’T want a relationship right now, enduring social media on holidays is hard! 
• Maybe you’ve been with your loved one long enough to prefer dinner “in” rather than fighting the crowded restaurants (hmm…yeah, that’s me!).  But you still feel pressure to make the day extra special for the ones you love. That, too, takes work. 

The truth is that lasting love takes effort. It’s true in relationships, furthermore it’s true about your life.

Here are my top 5 tips for how to fall in love and STAY IN LOVE with your life.

Five Ways to LOVE your life

1. Realize that LOVING YOUR LIFE REQUIRES EFFORT.
   It won’t just happen. Undeniably, there are good moments, joy-filled seasons, and happy days, but no one’s life gets better without intention. Think of the effort you likely put into your job, your kids, your home, your endless list of responsibilities and to-do lists… and then ask if you are putting effort into yourself. Are you willing to put some effort into loving this wild, unpredictable, sometimes troubling life you’ve been given?
2. ELIMINATE COMPARISON & ENVY.
   “Comparison is the thief of joy,” attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt, is a life-changing sentiment if you take it to heart. When you are tempted to compare or envy, close that open door. In fact, slam it shut! (The next point tells you how)!
3. CULTIVATE GRATITUDE
   In my life, I continue to be completely amazed by the power of gratitude. The simple act of ‘counting your blessings’ turns out to be much more than a platitude. Subsequently, every single time we choose to be grateful rather than envious, our lens on life changes. I dare you, beg you even, to try it for a few days and see what happens. Start with the smallest glimpses of gratitude. The more natural it becomes, the more powerful it will be.
4. SURROUND YOURSELF with people who love their life.
   Are you surrounded by people who grumble and complain? Do you notice victim mentality and blame-game tactics in your circle? Unquestionably, you will have difficulty falling in love with your life when you are constantly around people who don’t love their own. SO…. find some people who lift you up and inspire you. You may start with just one person. Go have coffee, take a walk, or write them a note. Start building these relationships now because they will impact you for years to come.
5. DO THE WORK
   This is the crux. Taking responsibility for your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being takes effort. It requires time, humility, and often an investment of your money to find the support and growth tools you need. I believe with all my heart it is worth it! It’s why I created Living Well, and I’m so glad you are here.
   

Resources to help you LOVE your life.

Living Well offers a trilogy of coaching-based tools to help you love who you were created to be, what you were created to do and honor the body you live in. Here are three starting points for your journey. I hope to see you soon!

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends. Whichever season you find yourself in, may you love others well and love your one incredible life.

Live Well,

Ready to go a little deeper with the Enneagram?