What helps us survive through unthinkable challenges? It’s not money it’s love!
What makes us constantly strive to become better people? It’s not science, it’s love!
What makes us glow inside when our surroundings and situation is bleak? It’s not food, it’s love!
At the end of the day love is the only thing that is able to conquer all. It gives us meaning, purpose and a reason to live. In my research into happiness I’ve found two things to be essential;
1. Quality relationships &
2. A feeling of genuine gratitude
I suggest that both of these things lead to a feeling of love in ones heart, something so compelling that your heart swells, you feel alive and truly blessed. I’ve just finished another wonderful book, it was titled ‘Miracle in the Andes’ by Nando Parrado and talks of one mans experience of a plane crash in 1972 that instantly killed many people on board and left the survivors freezing in the Argentinean mountains. The author manages to continue, to struggle, to survive and his conclusion is that love was all he had to live for.
Throughout the book Nando speaks of a feeling of complete despair almost constantly. He does however have moments throughout the ordeal where he has a deep feeling of complete love, love for his sister, love for his father, love for the mountains, love for his unknown wife and unborn children. Nando was able to experience love despite his circumstances and allow it to drive him forward. He could have given up so many times, yet he concludes that love is the only opposite of death. Life is not life without love, it becomes empty, lonely and unbearable.
I’m an avid reader and in many of the biographies I’ve read they have come to the same conclusion, that love is the answer. When we have love in our hearts we act with genuine honesty and compassion, everything we do is touched by the love we feel.
Imagine if love was the answer to all of our challenges. Stop for a moment. Think of someone who you truly love with all of your heart, feel the intensity of the emotion, allow your heart to swell to breaking point. When you feel the intensity of genuine and pure love you become a better person and act according to that wonderful feeling of love. Your actions are pure and good and your life becomes a reflection of not only your love but also your positive actions.
Take a moment to think about a life filled with love. What would happen if everyone had access to such love and that we were all blessed with a feeling of gratitude and had numerous quality relationships? Not only would we be happy, we would also remove any reason for war, crime or destruction. With love we could save the planet, with love we could reshape a war torn country, with love we could end poverty and most importantly with love we can be truly happy within ourselves.
So, if love is the answer as I say it is, how do we increase the amount of love we feel? Easy! Think of love as a simple emotion, just like happiness or stress or fear, it will grow with use. The more you feel a certain emotion the more readily you are able to feel it and the more you feel it the easier it is to feel. It’s the same principle as exercise, the more exercise you do the easier it is to do, and the more you do the easier it becomes.
To here are some ideas to help you start practising the emotion of love.
Simply watch a sunrise or sunset and marvel at the splendour of our amazing planet.
Look at a friend or loved one and see, think, and feel everything that is wonderful about them.
Savour a meal. Experience the tastes and enhance the gratitude you feel for every mouthful.
Play with an animal and absorb their unconditional love. Try to give as much love as they do.
When you are truly in the moment and fully engaged in the process of loving you fill yourself with awe, you become grateful for the moment and you’ll notice you heart begins to swell. The deeper you breathe and the more you notice the love inside of you, the more your heart will swell. As your heart fills with this pure love you’ll notice a smile spreading on your face and a depth of emotion that you may not have felt for sometime. Savour it for love is the answer!
If you like what I’m writing or would like to give me some feedback, I’d love to hear from you. Shoot me an email at jodie@advancedcoachingsolutions.com.au
This column was written by Jodie Cooper of Advanced Coaching Solutions. Jodie specialises in assisting people to find their own brilliance, tap into it and live their lives to their full potential. Her passion and enthusiasm for helping people show in everything she does, from helping teens understand their thought processes to assisting executives to make drastic changes. Check out her websites at: www.advancedcoachingsolutions.com.au
www.bringinghappinesshome.com.au
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