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Human beings are born with a desire to share Love with others. Love is an energy that can't be controlled or managed; it must flow. For this flow to happen, it is necessary that we give and receive Love. It feels good to give Love to others; your heart connects with all you genuinely Love, and it opens up and transmits this energy. But what about receiving Love? It seems that we have more difficulty to receive than to give Love. There are moments in a person's life when Love is what they want the most but cannot feel. When there is no flow, no energy, the heart closes; nothing goes in or out. You may stop giving or receiving Love or both. You may have been disappointed, rejected, betrayed, and, as a protection mechanism, you have put your heart in a castle with thick walls to protect yourself from others who you think can hurt you again. You guard your heart because you are wounded. You may believe that this is the best solution to avoid suffering, but what you did was put your heart in the castle's prison and throw the key away. Now your heart is protected but unable to express its precious energy of Love. Time passes, and you may decide to put the walls down and start allowing the heart to open again. But some individuals who suffered a deep wound stop trusting Love forever. Love will never betray or abandon you. A human being may, but Love will always be with you because it is the energy that runs through you. It is your real essence. You have plenty of Love within you and may be unaware of it. You are a source of Love. When you truly learn to Love yourself, you understand this and stop looking for Love outside of yourself. If you have plenty of Love, you can share it with others. You not only give but also learn to receive, recognize, and appreciate all the Love shown to you.  Love comes in many forms: support, guidance, compliments, smiles, kisses, hugs, presents, resources, service, words of encouragement, empowerment, kind acts, a bouquet, a home-cooked meal… and many others. Very often, we take Love for granted. Sometimes, we don't value the Love we receive until we lose it. Pay attention to the Love that you get every day. It is for you, and it is valuable and deserves to be acknowledged. The more Love you feel for yourself, the more you can share Love with others without asking anything in return for your Love. We have been educated in a system focused on giving Love; others go first. When we are born, we are great givers of Love, but during childhood, we start believing that we must give Love to receive it. Very early in life, you learn conditional Love. That's not true Love. You can give the Love you have cultivated to anyone or anything you want, just because you decide to do it, regardless of who the other is or if they deserve to be loved. This is unconditional Love. Today, look around you and appreciate all the gifts of Love you have. They not only come from other human beings. Look at your pet and the Love it gives you, the plants in your home and garden that provide you with air, flowers, and fruits, or the sun that rises to allow you to enjoy a new day, light, and life. Appreciate the whole Universe around you. Be present enough to experience all the Love that comes your way each day. Receive and appreciate it. If you don't see Love around you, create it yourself. Bring the Love you are and have to Earth. This planet will be a different, more loving place just because you did. This is the best contribution to humanity and the Universe you can make. As an ambassador of Love, I am here to remind you that you are loved as you are. Can you receive these loving words? "Not allowing ourselves to be congratulated, celebrated, appreciated, nourished, or loved by people and events outside ourselves is a
defense designed to protect us from psychic pain. Barriers to love are erected in our unconscious as it acts on behalf of our own survival" Harville Hendrix
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We all harbor an image of ourselves, a perception of who we are. Often, this self-image is far from accurate, influenced by a relentless focus on our mistakes and failures rather than our inherent worth as human beings. Each of us carries a suitcase brimming with past pain and experiences. We mistakenly believe that these experiences define us, but that's simply not true. What happens is that we sometimes become deeply intertwined with these events and their repercussions in our lives. Learning to let go of this past baggage is a profound commitment to yourself that becomes a gateway to your freedom. Imagine a version of yourself in the present, unburdened by the weight of your past. It's essential to recognize that your self-image is not solely shaped by your own perceptions but is also influenced by what you believe others think of you. While you may have never sought their opinions, if you hold a negative view of yourself, you might assume they share the same perspective. In reality, others are often more compassionate and understanding than we are toward ourselves. They see our talents and what we bring to the world more clearly and accept and Love us just the way we are. This is a concept that can be challenging for us to grasp. We hold insider information, and this unique insight prevents us from aligning with the opinions of others, which sees us as humans with both flaws and valuable unique qualities. To avoid feeling inadequate, disappointing others, or losing their approval or Love, we often wear a facade of perfection. Every day, we subject ourselves to significant stress to project confidence, even when we don't feel it. If we could relax and be authentic, we'd tap into resources we don't realize we possess. However, when we feel not enough, or we are afraid of not being accepted or liked, we inadvertently create the very situation we dread.  People may listen to your words, but they unconsciously pick up on your self-perception, sensing the incongruence between what you say and what you truly feel. If you attempt to fake a version of yourself that you don't genuinely embody, your body language will ultimately betray you. You might keep up the play for a while, but it will exhaust you, leading to a moment when you reveal, intentionally or not, that you are not wholly who you say you are. The good news is that all of this can change if you focus on building a more loving relationship with yourself. You don't need to change who you are to find inner peace; you need to become the source of your own Love and approval. Self-acceptance is the key to building the confidence and self-worth you want to convey to the world. Construct a positive self-image, cultivate appreciation for your extraordinary qualities, and prioritize your worth over the need to impress or shield yourself from judgment. When you present yourself as someone who wholeheartedly accepts and embraces who you are, you embody authenticity and self-confidence. You have so much to offer, and when you see it, the world will, too. Grant yourself the opportunity to disconnect from the past experiences and situations that you believe have brought you to where you are now. Remember that you are not defined by your past; whatever has happened or is currently happening in your reality does not diminish your importance or uniqueness. As you nurture your innate qualities and share them with the world, you'll discover that your existence has a profound purpose. If you're struggling with self-doubt, try looking at yourself from a different perspective. Avoid comparing yourself to others, and search for the reasons to connect with your intrinsic worth, because it is real. Delve within to unearth your valuable qualities. You can be mindful of areas where you can improve without overlooking the fact that your very existence is a testament to your greatness. Cease the self-criticism and judgment of your imperfections and replace them with Love and appreciation for yourself and your life. Self-Love will be the driving force behind any necessary changes, and will help you connect with your inner resources. Shift your perspective to one of understanding and forgiveness. What you think about yourself matters immensely. If you don't acknowledge your greatness, how can you expect others to recognize it? You don't require any evidence of change to start seeing yourself differently; you need only accept yourself as the foundation for becoming the person you desire to be. You're ready for this transformation, and the only thing holding you back is yourself. "Total, unconditional acceptance of yourself is the first step
in building a positive self-image" Nido R Qubein Life is a collection of moments, and every one of them counts. The reality is that we are not present in many moments of our lives. Our body is in one place and our mind in another. We get so busy that we go from one thing to another. We spend much of our time in the world of thoughts, not present where we are and with whom we share the moment. What happens with all those moments we ignore? We lose them. They will never return. They are unappreciated moments. But we can choose to be present in every moment of our life. We rush through life, and we forget to enjoy its moments. We appreciate the big things and important occasions, but do we live for every moment? I think we don't. We miss many moments every day. We give them away in worry, preoccupation, or thinking about what we don't want or dislike. We become afraid of what can happen, and we leave the present moment to go to another place we call the future and imagine it in all detail. Or we entertain ourselves with the stories of the past. Sometimes, we are so exhausted that we allow the moments to pass. We disconnect from life, and we stop living life, which is happening at this very moment. We forget that time passes. I am not saying this to pressure you —just the opposite. Become aware and don't lose any more seconds of your life. You have the power to focus on the thoughts and beliefs you want. Be mindful of what is happening in your inner reality as much as around you. Decide what is essential and cultivate it in your life. Cultivate joy to experience joyful moments. Focus on inner peace to have relaxing moments. Invite Love into your life if you want to live loving moments.  All the pressure we put on ourselves doesn't allow us to live the moment as it is. We have plans, ideas, goals, responsibilities. We cannot let them go because we believe that accomplishing all these things is of the utmost importance. But what if the purpose of life is to enjoy every inch of it to the fullest? Focus on being and savoring the moment with awareness, realizing that every moment of life is a miracle, and looking at yourself and the world with a sense of wonder. We should reserve some time in our existence for 'not doing' but simply 'being.' I am sure you remember the moments of your life that mattered. But every moment could matter independently of where or with whom you are, and what you are doing. Don't label a moment as good or bad; live it. Don't procrastinate your happiness waiting for the good moments. You can transform all moments into good moments if you want. It all depends on your attitude towards the moment, not the moment itself. You can care about each moment as your creation. You are the architect of your life, and you have the power to design your moments. Experience every second of the life you have with all your being. Don't reject any life experience because it is not how you want it to be, or what you would have chosen. Don't get angry with yourself for not being where you want to be. Avoid stressing yourself because things are not how they should be. You are alive to Love fully and to share moments with others. Take time to enjoy the pleasurable moments life on Earth offers. Remember that this moment can be joyful, and the following one, and the one after. When you see your reality full of opportunities for Love and joy, it gets transformed. Nothing has to be perfect for you to enjoy this moment. It is the loving way you look at it that makes it perfect. Let's start enjoying moments! "The way to develop the habit of savoring is to pause when something is beautiful and good and catches our attention - the sound of rain, the look of the night sky - the glow in a child's eyes, or when we witness some kindness.
Pause... then totally immerse in the experience of savoring it" Tara Brach There are moments in our lives when we realize that we need to change something because we feel disconnected or unfulfilled, or maybe something is missing and we don’t know what it is, or joy has disappeared from our lives. In a situation like this, you can blame those areas of your life that are not working or where you are struggling and tell yourself that when you fix those things, you will be all right. Or you can decide to reinvent yourself. The best way to start transforming your life is to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Observe yourself lovingly. Begin the process with self-awareness. Go to your inner world and see how you think and feel about yourself and your life. This is a trip of self-exploration and reflection. You can only do this journey with lots of Love for yourself, understanding, and avoiding blame or shame. Don’t reject yourself if you don’t like what you discover. Be grateful because the routes you traveled took you to where you are now. Practice radical self-honesty and see how you talk to yourself and behave towards yourself, in which occasions you have denied yourself Love, betrayed yourself, or abandoned yourself and your dreams. No judgment allowed. Just see it and take note. Accept all as it is. This is not the moment to analyze anything but to gather information that will be useful for you along the road. Remember, you can change whenever you want. Your life starts again with every breath you take. Don’t put pressure on yourself; find the desire to change within you.  Now that you have all the information you need, you can learn from it and then let it go. It is the moment to let go of the habits, expectations, social norms, learned behaviors, and family patterns, that do not allow you to become the new version of yourself. Your past doesn’t determine your future if you let it be where it belongs: in the past. You want to create a happier, more fulfilled, and aligned you—someone who lives their truth. During the journey, you will discover who is the new you and what life you want to create. This is your journey, travel with passion. It is your story, make it wonderful and totally yours. You are unique, and so is your experience. Embrace your power of creation. Replace old for new, change your mindset, let go of what doesn’t serve you, forgive, and you will create a new reality. It is the moment to reinvent. Find the courage to trust the journey and try new things. Don’t stop yourself or sabotage your efforts. Enter into the unknown territory of your life. A new land of opportunities waits for you. You can evolve, grow, and transform any aspect of yourself and your life. It may feel too difficult or scary at times, and you may not know how to do it yet, but new possibilities will appear if you trust and take the first baby step. Discover how to move through the fear, doubt, confusion, insecurity, and limiting beliefs. Ask for guidance, support, signs, and synchronicities. You are not alone on this journey. Perseverance and commitment are what you need in your suitcase, and the desire to make the most enjoyable voyage no matter the challenges you encounter. It is happening. You are now revealing yourself to the world differently. Embrace and embody the new version of yourself you have created. Be grateful for the opportunity to change you have given to yourself and for your redesigned life. Never forget to celebrate who you are becoming every step of the way. Accept your struggles and your victories; both are part of the journey. Now, you are the guide of your experience. You have created your own map. You decide the destination, and you travel with ease and grace. What a beautiful journey this life can be! "If you are not where you want to be, do not quit, instead reinvent
yourself and change your habits" Eric Thomas Have you ever asked yourself who you are? If I have to answer this question, I will say things like I am a woman, a pet parent, a coach, a business owner, a foodie, I was born in Spain, and many other things. But these things are not my authentic self. They are labels we use in the world to define groups of people. But when I put aside my roles and circumstances, what is left is who I really am. I am a being full of loving energy, connected to the Source and all beings I share the Earth with. You may spend 24 hours a day with yourself, but you may have forgotten who you truly are and how valuable your existence is. Or you may never have gotten intimate with yourself, and now have an opportunity to explore yourself. It is difficult to Love someone you don’t know. Loving yourself is possible when you know who you are and you appreciate yourself as you are. You must dig deeper than the external definitions to understand and know yourself better. Don’t be afraid to look within. You will discover a lot of valuable and incredible things about you. What you need to know yourself better is self-reflection. To observe yourself from a mindful perspective without judgment. If you look at yourself and your life, you will be able to identify what matters to you, what your priorities are, what makes you feel joyful and alive, what you Love, what your gifts and talents are, what are you passionate about and you desire, what you bring to this Universe, and how your Love transforms the lives of others. If you pay attention to yourself, you will also become aware of patterns of thought or behavior that you may be unaware of, and that perhaps do not support you now, and the tendencies, habits, or limitations you may be imposing on yourself. Once you have a clear idea of who you are, you can celebrate your goodness and focus your efforts on becoming a better version of yourself as well. There is always room for transformation.  Getting to know yourself is a process, and it takes time. It requires self-honesty and accepting parts of yourself and behaviors you may not be proud of. Self-acceptance is a key element of Self-Love. Don’t try to know yourself better with the intention of fixing yourself by finding all your flaws and weaknesses; do it to connect with your worth, which is your birthright, and to understand the potential within you that you can develop. Knowing yourself has many benefits, such as more appreciation for who you are and a higher level of self-worth. You will discover that you are important just because you exist. You will be able to relax more when you comprehend that you don’t need to demonstrate your value because you already have it, and you only need to get in touch with it. You will embody a higher level of confidence and a sense of being comfortable in your own skin. When you know yourself, you are more fulfilled and live more authentically because you feel free to be you and, as a result, you compare yourself less with others and stop asking for external validation. You become your own master. When you live in alignment with who you are, you find fewer contradictions and encounter a sense of coherence and meaning in your life. You will learn all these and much more if you decide to embark on the journey of discovering and embracing yourself. Are you ready to find your true self? “People think that what’s important is that the world sees them, understands them, values them. That’s not what’s important. What’s important is that
you see yourself, you understand yourself, and that you value yourself” C. JoyBell C. Self-compassion is not a word we use frequently. When we see a being suffering, we instantly feel compassion, but often the same does not happen when we are going through a tough time in our lives. We may judge and blame ourselves or get angry or frustrated about what is happening to us. You may think that compassion doesn't apply to you, that it is something we offer only to others. But you need it as much as others do when you are suffering, feeling overwhelmed, or facing difficulties. Compassion means "to suffer with," but it differs from empathy or sympathy. Those allow us to feel for others and to connect with them. But compassion invites you to take action. Being compassionate is not only seeing someone going through something hard and being able to put yourself in their shoes or understand their feelings. When you feel compassion, you want to do something to alleviate the pain. You want to help that being in any way you are capable of. You want to show your Love in action. Self-compassion is turning compassion inwards. It means realizing that you are experiencing a difficult situation and deciding to nurture yourself by being kinder, more understanding, and more supportive towards yourself. When something painful is happening in your life, you need to recognize and accept your suffering. What we usually want is to make the pain disappear. Showing the world a façade like nothing is happening and to continue suffering on the inside won’t work. What can you do for yourself? What actions can you take to ease your pain and suffering? What would you say to someone in the same situation you are in, and how would you treat them?  Practice self-compassion because you care about yourself and your well-being. It will help you to recover from any setback you face in life and to be more resilient. You can be as compassionate with yourself as you would be with someone you Love. Look at yourself and what is happening in your life, and give yourself compassion in action. It may be necessary for you to stay with the suffering you are experiencing, but to be at your own side while this is happening, with kindness. Don’t abandon or criticize yourself when things get complicated. You need to be there for yourself in these situations. Self-compassion doesn't soften you or take away the power to resolve any challenge you are facing. Many people believe that if you are self-compassionate, you will become indulgent and relaxed, and they use self-criticism as the power to transform their lives. Being hard on yourself is culturally accepted as the way to be when you need to change something within yourself or resolve a challenging event. But there is a different way to change your life and face what is happening. It includes taking care of yourself while accepting the situation and the pain it is causing you, and practicing self-forgiveness if it applies. We all have not-so-good days; we face difficult moments, we feel we made mistakes, things go wrong, we lose people we Love, we suffer an illness, or many other situations along the way. In the middle of a hard experience, you may feel that you can do nothing to feel better, but you can always tend a caring hand towards yourself. It is the moment to be there for you because you are important. When tough stuff appears in your life, you have an opportunity for self-compassion. Whatever happens to you is not what matters, what matters is how you decide to react to it and interpret it in the context of your life. Self-compassion is a choice you can make. Remember that it is always available to you. "If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete"
Jack Kornfield It is wonderful to feel Love towards someone close to you, your family, pet, children, or friends. Your heart is open, and you feel the uplifting energy of Love that creates so much joy in your life. Love is coming back to you, and you feel recognized and connected. To give and to receive Love is the secret of a happy life. But can you be intentionally loving with everyone and everything you meet today? It can be a challenge, but it is possible. We tend to reserve our Love for those close to us. What you can do, is to extend this Love to all around you. A way of being loving is to be more generous with your greetings and good wishes, with your smiles, kisses, hugs, and compliments, be grateful and appreciative, acknowledge the presence of others, listen deeply to what others have to say, share loving messages or call someone to say "You are important to me." Any little act of kindness can be important in another person's eyes, even if it is holding the door or helping someone with the supermarket bags. See how you can add more Love, and good ideas will come to your mind. Love needs to be demonstrated in action. It can be a big or a small act of Love; it doesn't matter. The important thing is that you focus on being loving. Your energy of Love will do the rest.  Love is energy and can travel. You can send it to different places using only your intention. You can send Love to someone without sending a text or communicating it with words. Love will go wherever it is sent. Where do you want to send your Love today? You can just close your eyes and connect with Love. You can project Love, and you can do it by thinking about a loving experience you had. Focus on this until you feel the Love appearing in your heart. Once you feel the Love within yourself, make it more intense and focus on sending it out. Visualize how it goes out of you and is all around you. Then, see how it fills your room, the building, the city, and the entire state or area. Your Love keeps expanding until it covers all territories, countries, and planet Earth. It is your Love; you created it, and you decide where you want to send it. Look at the world with awe. Notice what is happening around you. Start developing a sense of appreciation for everything that you encounter. This appreciation will make you closer to Love. It is the first step. Love is not only this romantic feeling you see in movies; it is something you can decide to experience, create within yourself, and share with the whole world. Refrain from judging what is happening and focus on the Love around you. Consciously choose to be more loving. Choose loving thoughts expressed through loving words, and act lovingly. It is an experience you can decide to have. Today, look around you and find opportunities to Love with all your intention. "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have thepotential to turn a life around”
Leo Buscaglia You are part of the natural world. Even though it may seem that you are a different entity, you are made of the same elements as nature. You and nature share the planet Earth, the air you breathe, and the water you drink. The calcium in your bones, the iron in your blood, the nitrogen in your DNA, and many other things are present in you and in the Cosmos. You are made of the same stuff as the Universe. We live separated from the natural world as if we weren’t a part of it. We have gardens and plants at home, and we enjoy them. We go to the beach, the mountain, or a natural park, but it is as if we visit someone and then we say goodbye and return to our life. We may have a beautiful tree in front of our home, and we don’t even realize if it has more leaves or is blossoming, or if our home plant is asking for water. Our ancestors lived more connected to nature than us and clearly understood that we depend on natural resources for our survival. We take for granted the drinking water we get from the tap and the food we buy in the supermarket. You don’t need to be a farmer to understand that all you need to survive comes from Mother Earth, who willingly shares its abundance with us. In our modern way of living, we have forgotten that if we don’t take care of Mother Earth, we won’t be able to survive. Shouldn’t we Love our nurturing mother?  Loving something means appreciating it, respecting it, connecting with it. The natural world is not there to be observed but to be part of it. We should cultivate an attitude of gratefulness towards the world we live in. Have you ever said thank you to the sun for illuminating your existence? Have you appreciated the water you drink when it enters your body and becomes part of you? Have you been thankful for the cool breeze on your face on a hot day? By becoming aware of the natural world and being present in it, you can understand that you are part of a bigger system than yourself, and that you are connected to it. The natural world is not out there, it is within you; it is part of who you are. When you forget this, it becomes easier to allow damage to be done to your planet. We all do it through our daily choices, allowing water, air, and soil to be polluted and the planet to degrade. If you want to feel one with everyone and everything that exists, look at the sky full of stars at night or the vastness of the sea all the way to the horizon. We all are pieces of a perfect ecosystem. We should live in sync with the natural world and respect and honor Earth, our home. You are just another being, an inhabitant of Earth, like a flower, a mountain, or a giraffe. Feeling that you belong to the natural world will allow you to cultivate a more profound connection with who you are and everything that exists and develop a sense of gratitude for it. Today, look around you with awe and Love what you see. "There is a deep interconnectedness of all life on earth, from the tiniest organisms, to the largest ecosystems, and absolutely between each person"
Bryant McGill When something negative or that you don't like happens to you, it changes how you feel. Not only do you have to deal with what happened, but also with your reaction toward it. You may be faced with a version of yourself that you don't want to see. One that says you are not good enough and that you can't succeed in life. You may feel guilty or ashamed for what happened, or you have no doubt that this is your fault. Perhaps you have so much anger or sadness that you cannot move forward. There are moments in life when you get stuck. Something so big happens to you that it knocks you down and puts you out of the game. You want it to go away, and you decide after processing the situation that you will let it go. But you don't know how. Loving yourself in this moment of your life is the first step. You should let it go because you deserve to be free to continue your life. Whatever is going on shouldn't determine the rest of your life. Nothing has to change for you to be all right. You can be well within the chaos and in the middle of the problems. This is an essential realization because we usually don't think this is possible. It is complicated to let go of something you are judging and analyzing all the time. The thoughts of what happened keep coming to your mind, and it may seem impossible to disconnect from them. You cannot disconnect because you haven't decided to let it go. The power of forgiveness, of yourself or others, can help you release the burden you carry and let go of it. You don't have to change the external circumstances you are facing. You have to change the way you see yourself in relation to them.  It may seem difficult to believe that in the most challenging circumstances, you can still Love yourself. Is in those moments when you need to accept yourself, and the mistakes you think you made and be at peace with yourself. Self-Love will give you more power to change the circumstances than criticism, judgment, and guilt. You shouldn't make yourself suffer. Try instead to support yourself to overcome what you are facing. It may require practice, but the best way out of anything is to choose to Love yourself no matter what happens. Take care of yourself with understanding and kindness. You may not be used to supporting yourself when the present and future don't look promising, but your life can change at any moment if you allow it to happen. Yes, life happens, and you can lose yourself. But loving yourself to the fullest will help you stay calm and reconnect with a joyous future. Put your attention on your state of being, in reconnecting with who you are and your power, before trying to fix any other detail of your life. Love will save you in any given circumstance. Love comforts you, understands you, forgives you, and is always caring and kind to you. This Love doesn't come from outside; it comes from within yourself. You have the power to create Love and to use it to transform your life and the lives of others. No other force is more important than Love, the Love for yourself. It will take you to the highest levels possible and rescue you when you fall. Love is there for you. Always there. "When we are experiencing immeasurable pain, fear, and sorrow, when we are vulnerable and tender, that is the very time to turn toward experience rather than to escape it. It is the very time when we most need acceptance; when
we most need Love. To Love then, as it is meant here, is to remain fully present, with self and others, when difficult internal conditions arise" Robyn D. Walser Many people sabotage their lives by doubting themselves because they fear making mistakes. Me included! I understand your fear of taking risks or worrying about the idea that something can go wrong unexpectedly. Maybe you don’t believe in yourself because of something that happened to you in the past. It is you who made that decision and ended up in trouble, made that mistake that complicated your life enormously, or the one who said or did something that created great pain. You feel guilty or maybe ashamed. You blame yourself. You look backward and punish yourself for not doing things differently. It is totally unfair! You can judge yourself all you want, but sadness is the only thing you will get out of it. It is the moment to accept whatever happened, give yourself permission to be human and err, and decide to move forward. It is easy to stop believing in yourself when you have accumulated bad experiences. You can be your own worst enemy and plant the seed of self-doubt. You will suffer the consequences when that plant grows within you with solid roots. You will second-guess yourself and all your decisions. You will follow others’ opinions instead of relying on yourself and your judgment. You will look for external approval. There is wisdom within you, and it is more powerful than you imagine. This is the reason why you need to believe in yourself.  You can keep looking at what went wrong or what you didn’t do well. It is your choice to do so. But I suggest that you look ahead and start believing in yourself instead. It takes the same energy from you to believe in yourself than to doubt yourself. Changing the opinion you have about yourself is a matter of focusing on different things. If you want to see how strong, resourceful, resilient, and wise you are, you will find lots of proof of that in your experiences. But if you decide instead that you are incapable, you don’t have talent, you are less than others, or you are not good enough, I am sure you can justify that, too. If it was you who made those wrong decisions that you consider mistakes, it is also you who can transform your life by doing things differently, learning, getting better, or choosing another way of living. Your intention is the key element to creating a different life. It is necessary that you accept your past and make peace with it. You can add forgiveness to your life to liberate yourself from the past. Understand that the past should remain in the past. You build your new life from here, in the present. How do you start believing in yourself? Through Love. A Love for yourself that is so intense that it allows you to let go of any negative ideas about yourself. Remember that loving yourself is a choice. It is not something that simply happens. It requires action. You can bring it into your life, and you can cultivate it. This Love for yourself is your power, which will take you wherever you want. Your confidence doesn’t come from being perfect and having everything under control but from a connection with your inner wisdom and the Source. Divine guidance, inspiration, and intuition are all available for you. You can be helped, guided, and supported. First, you need to believe in yourself, and then the certainty you seek will appear. Not the other way around. Trust yourself and the Universe. You are one of a kind. See your brilliance, and this will be the power that will sustain your belief in yourself. "Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and Love yourself.
Never doubt who you are" Stephanie Lahart We all have experienced traumatic events in our lives. Not only do big things happen, like a sudden loss, illness, or a breakup. Sometimes difficulties can come in little pieces that, by accumulation, make us feel overwhelmed, out of balance, and unable to connect with joy. Constant pressure at work, problems in relationships, financial stress, physical pain… who is not living at least one of these situations or something similar? When it seems that it is too painful to feel what is happening in our lives, we want to make it disappear. We often tell everyone we are all right, but we feel miserable and carry on with our lives the best way we can. We try to avoid facing all we don’t want to feel because we believe the problem is too big. We run away from the fear, heartache, or pain, we intensely feel. But it is stored in our minds and bodies, and reappears from time to time. There are strategies to go through these periods when things feel like more than we can face. Observe yourself and see if you are using any escape mechanism or are distracting yourself, to avoid facing the life situations you have in front of you. Is it working? What will help you resolve your problems, in the long run, is connecting with your body and the pain it stores, and investigating the story you have in your mind about these events. Approach it, even if it is little by little. And then allow all of it to be released. Maybe you have been controlling the pain for many years, trying to be sure it doesn’t reappear on the surface of your life. Perhaps you locked it away a long time ago in a safety box and thought you would never have to see it again. But whatever is affecting you, even if it is very old pain, will not disappear because you ignore it; just the opposite. The more you ignore it, the harder it will try to get to you. Love yourself enough to help yourself to heal.  Soothe yourself, be kind and understanding towards yourself, and nurture yourself, if you want to support yourself in your healing. But what happens when our lives don’t go as we want or we face serious problems? We tell ourselves: it is my fault. Doing that adds pain to what we are already experiencing. We dislike who we are or our life, because we blame ourselves for not knowing how to resolve the situation we are in. Now we have two problems: the inner sense of shame, guilt, or frustration, plus the pain we are experiencing. Become aware of what is happening to you. Do it, but don’t inflict more pain on yourself. To resolve any challenge in life, the first step is to add more Love to the situation. Love includes the acceptance of whatever is happening, the time to process it, the releasing, the forgiveness, the treating yourself with care, the asking for help if it is necessary. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be your own friend, not your enemy. There is no problem big enough that it cannot be solved with more Love towards yourself and your life. Love is a great cure for situations of all kinds. Help yourself to go through tough times. Healing is a process. We all have thorns stuck in our hearts, hurts, and disappointments. Love is a powerful force and your ally in facing pain. Whatever you want to change in your life, it can be transformed. But the solution to face the pain you are looking for is not out there, but inside yourself. The more you trust your goodness and innate power and connect with them, the faster you will be able to resolve what you are facing and move forward. You cannot make the events that happened to you disappear, but you can give yourself the opportunity to use them to transform yourself and become more resilient and stronger. Remember that, like the Phoenix Bird, you have within you the power of regeneration and wherewithal to heal and be new again. ”To heal is to touch with love that which we previously touched with fear”
Stephen Levine A new beginning sounds like something exciting, better than the reality we are living. We wait for the beginning of the year, the month, or Monday, to start new things and to make commitments with ourselves. It is as if these dates in the calendar have an extraordinary power to take us further and help us achieve our goals better than any other moment. But time and the partition of it into days, weeks, and months is just an agreement that humans have. You perceive how time passes and count the days, but every breath you take is a new beginning. Every second of your life is a moment for renewal, transformation, and change. I invite you to live your life with the perspective that there is something new in front of you every time you look at it. A situation doesn’t have to change to be new; you are the one that creates the change by looking at it from a different perspective. Look at your partner or child with fresh eyes. Look at the smiles you receive, at the Love that exists. Look at the tree near your house. Look deeply at its beauty. See its new leaves or the ones that have been lost. Look at the same view you enjoy and allow yourself to perceive the little things you have never seen before. I don’t have any idea about what your life is like. What you are going through now may seem difficult and overwhelming. Still, when you accept the situation and surrender to it, asking for guidance and help, it gets transformed into something totally different. You cannot change this moment, or the past, but you can transform your view and opinion of it. Whatever is happening to you, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is here, let’s not deny it. But you can complain, feel sorry for yourself, think that any time past was better, or you can believe that the future, your next breath, will bring something much better.  It is you who has the power to transform your reality and create a new one. And you have everything you need inside of yourself to do it. You were born fully equipped to create new beginnings. Once you see reality as it is, it stops scaring you. It is what it is, but you can be directed to the right solution, guided into a better place, or help can unexpectedly arrive to you. Your circumstances can be like passing clouds. The storm will end. You can overcome anything you are facing and make it even better than it was before. Create a new beginning in the relationship with yourself, send Love to your body, be kinder and less judgmental with yourself. Invest in yourself and your life by connecting with your power, the voice of your inner wisdom, and doing something to create the new beginning you desire in your life. One baby step is enough for today. Begin with deciding what you want more of in your life. Is it more Love, health, friends, wealth, time, a partner? There is no need to make a plan on how to achieve any of those things. You have a more critical task: surrender. Do it right now. Accept where you are and stop judging reality. Play with the idea that you can have plenty of new relationships, a promotion, find the resources you need, a new home, or whatever you have been looking for. There is only one major requirement: you need to believe that what you say you want can be yours. Take a look for the last time at the life you have and begin a new one you will create with what you have right now. Walk into the new life you have decided to live. Nothing has changed, I know. But everything will look transformed because of your commitment to living differently. Start believing in yourself and the power of the Universe to support you. Your burning desire, your intention, your Love for yourself, and all the energy of who you are will be your way to transform everything. You have the power. This is all it takes: You. “Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over”
Guy Finley Are you aware of what you say and how you say it? Maybe when you are preparing for a presentation, or you want to impress someone you care about, you choose your words carefully and decide to be the most likable version of yourself. But admit it, most of the time, you don’t pay much attention to the energy behind your words, your tone of voice, or how it will affect others when you express yourself with anger, say mean things, or scream at your child or partner. Unmindful speech is widespread. Speaking with Love means becoming aware of your speech and consciously choosing words that can create hope, confidence, joy, and Love. Tomorrow, say something nice to someone, but not as an obligation, to look good, cheer up the other person, or to motivate an employee. Say it because you feel it. Because these words you are pronouncing come from your heart and are part of your nature. Remember, it is free to add some Love to your speech. Really listen, and be present with whom you are. Be all ears. Listen with compassion. You can end someone’s suffering just by listening deeply to them. You don’t need to solve their problems; just by being fully present, the person that is with you will feel comforted and stronger than before. Bring calmness and loving energy to every conversation you have, and you will see a totally different reaction from those with whom you interact. Emphasize the good, the positive, and the uplifting when you speak with your children, partner, friends, or colleagues at work.  Every time you open your mouth, you have the opportunity to transform who you are and the world around you. Imagine how many opportunities you have every day! Select your words carefully to be sure you don’t create discord, separation, anger, or division between groups or communities. Realize when you judge, criticize, or gossip just because you have always done it and everyone around you does it. Maybe we all should speak less and listen more. Speak mindfully. All your body speaks. How relaxed you are, how present you become, how you look at the other person, and what your eyes express, are part of what you say and how you listen. Maybe you believe that people only receive what you say, but this is not the case. Many people can read your energy. Children, especially the little ones, do it all the time. They know if you are happy or sad, stressed or calm. They may not understand the words, but they know what is in your heart. Many books have been written about body language. You can lie, but you cannot avoid your body telling the truth about your being. You have to embody what you say, or it won’t work. You cannot say: ”Darling, I Love you” if your words are empty and you are pretending. You have to feel the Love; you need to have it inside yourself to truly give it. Let’s become Love and bring it to the world. Should we practice? I’ll start: I am sending lots of Love to you. You deserve it! "Be Impeccable With Your Word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power
of your word in the direction of truth and Love" Don Miguel Ruiz A sense of belonging is one of humanity's most basic needs. Belonging to a tribe was essential for our ancestors because surviving alone was very challenging. We are biologically wired to want to belong. But what does it mean to belong? The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as "a feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group and having a good relationship with the other members of the group because they welcome you and accept you." We all want to be loved and accepted and use certain mechanisms to achieve it. Some of us decide from a very early age that pleasing others is a good strategy to achieve Love. We put the needs of others before our own because we think they will Love us more if we do it. We confuse Love with self-sacrifice. We may sacrifice for such a long time that it seems like normal behavior. We Love others intensely and put everything we have, including ourselves, into showing them our Love. The consequences of people-pleasing are numerous and painful. Once we get used to caring more for others than ourselves, we abandon ourselves. In the long term, this can make us feel that others abuse us and create resentment because we realize that our needs are never met, only the needs of others. But if this is the dynamic we have established in a relationship, we may not want to or know how to change it. If we think that if we stop pleasing others, they will not Love and accept us, it will be difficult to change our way of being. We put others' needs first in many different relationships and situations.  Other people, perhaps unconsciously, decide to play small to belong to a certain group or establish a relationship. Belonging and being there is all they want. They won't risk losing their place by shining more than others. They don't have enough Love for themselves yet and feel they need to be loved by others to receive the Love they crave. The problem is that they intuitively know and feel they have more to offer to others and that they are not being authentic. But they got used to being less than others because being that way provides them with Love and safety. But this doesn't benefit them, nor those they Love, because they will never know the unique being that they are if they hide and decide never to stand out. Perfectionism is another way we try to belong and receive Love. We may feel that if we are perfect, if there is nothing to blame in our life, we will deserve to be loved and accepted. Being perfect is not possible, but we try harder and harder. We do it by trying to control the circumstances and how others feel about us. We have to make sure we don't fail; for this reason, we don't put ourselves in situations where we can look bad. We stop trying new things or avoiding anything we consider risky, because the security we seek by being perfect is more important to us. It requires lots of focus and effort to try to be perfect, and it can become a purpose. But the only meaningful life purpose is to become you, authentically you, not to have a perfect façade where you can hide. You will really feel that you belong when you know that it is your birthright and not something you need to earn. Your heart will know this moment. You will distinguish perfectly between both belongings, the one you have to acquire day by day, trying hard, demonstrating your value, and putting others first, and the real one. Belonging should feel like a calm sense that you deserve to be a member, that you qualify because of who you are, not for your merits or efforts. A calmness will come over you because you will really belong to the most extraordinary group of people, those who know what Love is about and that they themselves are the source of Love. “We may act sophisticated and worldly, but I believe we feel safest when we go inside ourselves and find home, a place where we belong and maybe the only place we really do”
Maya Angelou There are moments in life when you need radical self-care. When things accumulate, you are too busy, your calendar is full of personal and work or business matters, and you start feeling depleted, tired, stressed, or anxious, this is the time to stop and reflect on your present circumstances. It is the moment to take time for you. Time to take good care of yourself, replenish batteries and regenerate. You are not like a machine that, when the battery is low, can be connected to the power and, in a short amount of time, is restored to the original energy level. We tend to ask our bodies and minds for more than they can give. We postpone our needs, prioritize others, and sacrifice our well-being for many different reasons. I do it inadvertently with a certain frequency. I am not the one to tell you that you should stop. I want to remind you that it is your responsibility to take good care of yourself. Once you lose your health, good mood, and zest for life, it will take you more time to recover than if you stop and take some restorative measures when you observe the first signs of overdoing, fatigue, lack of joy, or burnout. Life loses its meaning when you are not feeling well emotionally, spiritually, or physically. It makes sense that this happens, but we ignore the signs repeatedly until we are in trouble, get sick, or need a long vacation to recover from all the excesses.  You will feel it. Your body will send you enough signals. You will see it in your mood and the absence of happiness. If you need to stop, do it now. Don’t procrastinate on this matter. If you don’t, life will do it for you. Usually, in a big way, at the least expected moment, when you don’t have time to stop, when you have to solve many things, when you have big plans for your life, business, or family. Life will impose order. Self-Care needs to be radical. No excuses. Nothing else is more important when you need to take care of yourself. Wouldn’t you prefer to take care of yourself now, not lose your balance, and enjoy life to the fullest? Or do you want to keep running around until your battery is so low that recharging it will take a long time? It is your choice. It seems that life pushes you in one direction, and you can only say yes to your commitments and those that keep coming. Different things may be asking for your time and energy: family members, work, children, moving homes, an illness… It doesn’t matter what it is. What is crucial is that you recognize early enough that you need to be there for yourself and take care of yourself to serve others properly. Do it because you Love yourself, because you owe it to yourself. Learn to say no when necessary. Decide what you can and cannot do. Delegate, postpone, or ask someone for help if you need it. You are not invincible. It is for you to recognize what you need. Still, if you listen deeply, you will hear a voice whispering inside yourself, asking for things like sleep, rest, silence, relaxation, clean air, proper breathing, movement of a certain kind, stretching, hydration, or a concrete kind of food… The voice communicates with you all the time, but you may not hear it in the middle of the chaos and noise of modern life. Think about how our ancestors lived. They were more in touch with nature than us; they ate food from the season and had time for conversations, music, lecture, contemplation, and walks. They lived slowly, and we don’t. I invite you to consider if slowing down may help you to take radical care of yourself. You are the most important being in the world. There is only one like you. There is no substitute for you. Don’t undervalue yourself. You deserve to be good to yourself. ”Our lives are so busy, and for many of us the demands are overwhelming. Some of us focus so much on the needs of others, we lose sight of ourselves. Stop, for one moment.
Take a deep breath. Be still. Refocus. Concentrate on improving your life. One situation at a time. You can’t be much good to others if you’re no good to yourself" Carlos Wallace I have felt powerless, and I held myself back on numerous occasions. I believe we all do at certain times in our lives. When an important decision has to be made, or life throws a big challenge at us, we can feel overwhelmed and afraid and decide, consciously or not, that we cannot face it, that we are not ready, or not capable, or that we won’t survive. See yourself in front of a serious illness diagnosis, on the brink of divorce without financial means, or wanting to leave a job you hate but that gives you the security and salary you desire. What do we do in these situations? I don’t know about you, but I take a lot of time to make decisions, especially the big ones. I have stayed in relationships where I didn’t belong anymore for too long. I have taken so much time to change my life because I wasn’t feeling powerful enough. Has this happened to you, too? Why do we do that? Why do we wait to create change, knowing intuitively that there is something better out there waiting for us? Once you have gone through the process and survived, you may look backward and ask yourself, why didn’t you change this before? But at the moment, to face that challenge felt like the end of your life and the world you knew.  There is an opportunity cost to remaining in the same situation and not embracing the power you have to change your life. But we freeze and get paralyzed due to fear, lack of resources, or the overwhelming feeling that we are not good enough to do it, whatever it means in the context of our life. The challenge can be something like standing in your power and leaving a relationship or getting divorced, finding a fulfilling job for you, or looking for a different solution to take care of yourself or a chronic illness. We freeze because it is what we have learned to do as a survival mechanism. Under stress, we tend to fight with the stressor or run away from it. Let’s say that stress is, for example, financial problems, the modern version of the lion chasing us in the savannah. What happens when you think and feel that you cannot fight because you don’t know how, you don’t have the necessary resources, and you cannot run away from it because it is evident the problem won’t go away just because you don’t want to face it? Your nervous system is paralyzed and enters survival mode. You may stop breathing normally because you want to hide, thinking that if you make yourself small or disappear, the monster going after you, the lion, the financial problems, may not find you. But time passes, and the situation gets aggravated or remains constant. A person under constant stress that is not released suffers, which creates unhappiness, more lack of power, and maybe a chronic physical condition in the body. I invite you to embrace your power as a solution to the challenges you face in any area of your life. You can do it, and you will. You may not know how, but you must trust yourself and ask for help from mortals, gods, or the Universe. Your power resides in the connection with yourself, the divine, and all that exists. Because no matter how powerless you may feel, you are powerful beyond measure. ”Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don't know how great you can be! How much you can Love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”
Anne Frank Love is not a passing feeling that can be taken from you or something you withdraw from. Love is an energy that carries you away. If you have fallen in Love once in your life, you will surely remember the unbelievable sensation you felt. You didn't even need to be in that person's presence to feel the Love. Remembering a moment you spent together will provoke the amazing sensation of the Love you felt inside yourself. But what happens when time passes, and the honeymoon effect diminishes? Can you be in Love all your life? It seems complicated to be in Love forever in a romantic relationship because Love transforms and changes. It transforms you and the other person. It becomes more profound and changes into something that does not happen automatically. When Love deepens, and intimacy grows, you may not be in Love or feel the same adoration and passion, but you choose to share the Love you have.  There is a Love that resides within you. Nobody can take it from you because you create it. You are the one that cultivates it. With this Love you go through life with an open heart, allowing Love to flow freely and arrive to others. It is not romantic Love but True Love. It is a Love that sees the other as they are, not as you desire, imagine, or want. It is a Love that accepts and doesn't judge others. It is a Love that forgives the other person's faults, and yours. We don't have a different name to call this kind of Love, we use the same word, but it is a different concept. I can say I like you, but it does not seem good enough. I will call it appreciation instead because it adds a dimension to Love. To appreciate something, I have to see, notice, and take it into account, and then I can say that I appreciate it. It is also connected with gratefulness. I appreciate you as you are, and as a result, I feel grateful to be able to share my Love with you. Love is universal; we all have it and can share it with everything that exists. Every language has different expressions for Love. For example, in Spanish, the expression "Te quiero" could be translated as "I want you." But it doesn't matter if I say "Ti amo," "Je t'aime," or "T'estimo." What matters is that I mean what I say. Love is not a word; it is a state of being that must be shown through your actions. ”Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment”
Barbara De Angelis Have you experienced a sensation of knowing someone profoundly, but you have just met them? A feeling of familiarity with someone you just met can indicate a soul connection. You may look at a stranger in the eyes and feel totally connected to this being. You have never met, but it seems your hearts know each other. But what does all of this mean? You have a different family than the one in the flesh. You belong to a group of souls with whom you travel through lifetimes- they are your soul family. You will meet with some of these beings during this incarnation. They may serve you in so many different ways. Some beings will stay with you for a long time, and others may just cross paths with you. No matter how long the encounter is, it will be an important one. Soul Mates enter this category of soul connections, but they are not the only ones. You are connected at a soul level with people with whom you won’t establish a romantic relationship, or maybe not even a so-called relationship, because your encounter will be short but serve a good purpose in your life. Soul connections may include those beings you call friends, lovers, good colleagues, partners, and also family members.  Souls, incarnated or not, serve each other and establish agreements to help one another go through challenges and grow. A person with whom you feel a sense of affinity and have known for some time may play a significant role in your life, but a new acquaintance can do the same. It all depends on your connection. Usually, souls agree to help each other with a definite purpose once both are incarnated, but it can also be done when one soul is on the other side. A being may have talents you will need in this incarnation or may support you in a way you cannot do for yourself. These souls may appear in your life when needed without being called because there was an agreement in place from before. Some may stay in your life and support you for a long time, and others can meet you briefly, stay while needed, and then leave until your next encounter. Serving others may not be what you imagine. Suppose I have decided to increase the Love for myself in this incarnation. In that case, I might establish a relationship with someone who does it and awakens this state of being within me. But I can connect with someone who loves themselves but doesn’t invite me to do so, and I, by myself because of this experience, will learn to do it on my own. Both paths are possible. Once incarnated on Earth, souls aim for unconditional Love, but don’t live it all the time. We are learning to Love. Your connections at a soul level are vital in your path of development, and will be there to help you with different matters you have decided to resolve in this lifetime, or to share the journey of Love with you. You will distinguish them for the Love you share. It doesn’t mean the relationship is perfect, but it will undoubtedly transform your life forever. “Maybe it’s not about the length of time you’ve known someone; maybe it’s about instant recognition on an unconscious level. Our souls know each other.”
S. E. Hall You may want to change some aspect of your personality or behavior. Becoming the best you can be is a great resolution; the problem is that we usually embark on this process by judging ourselves harshly. The best way to change something is to do it for Love, Love for yourself. Do you want to quit smoking or start exercising? Do you want to be healthier or lose some pounds? Do you want to be kinder or less frustrated? Any of these changes require that you Love yourself more than you do right now. A good beginning for achieving change is to accept the situation you are in, and yourself as you are. A sense of acceptance also means that you don’t reject yourself because you are not the way you want to be or your life doesn’t look like you expected. Choose to change because you want to, because it is good for you. Don’t do it by denying Love for yourself or torturing yourself. If you don’t feel like changing anything right now, don’t do it. Be free to choose. Be patient and honest with yourself. Don’t create an inner war. Forgiving yourself allows you to start from scratch in this changing process. Maybe you have tried to change the same thing several times, and you failed. Then you face the challenge of change from a deep feeling of not being capable, which won’t help you. Let’s start with a clean slate. This is a new situation, and you are not the same person you were even yesterday. You can do things differently; you may feel more powerful now, have more resources than before, or feel more motivated and empowered after reading these lines. Changing your state of being will provoke external changes that will make it easier for you to change. One key element of changing anything in your life is to change the opinion you have about yourself. Do you see yourself as a champion, capable, intelligent, wise, and ready to face any challenge in life? That’s great news! But if you are locked into your story of failure for something you experienced in the past or that is happening now, or you feel you are not good enough, it will complicate the process.  If you blame yourself for lost opportunities, failures, mistakes, wrongdoings, and cannot let go of the idea that there is something wrong with you, it will be difficult to ever consider changing. That is the real reason we get stuck in life. Something happens to us, and we cannot move forward. It may be a divorce, being fired, losing someone you Love, or something you value. After one big hurtful event or a combination of many small experiences, we keep walking ahead, but we do it deeply wounded. We have a wound in the place that hurts the most: our worthiness, sense of importance, and uniqueness. But you can release whatever happened to you in the past. You can forgive yourself and start anew. Even the most traumatic events will be part of your story, but they won’t determine your future unless you allow it to happen. The essential part of change is to commit to loving yourself no matter what. Once you decide it, when you feel it deeply and understand how to do it, you will realize that you are more important than what holds you back from changing, and you will be ready to take action. Taking action will mean focusing on the new You you are building, in the new reality you are creating. Instead of fighting with the old You to change it, you can create a different You with new values and belief systems that support you. Imagine a new You that is understanding, compassionate, and kind to yourself—a being that always has words of Love for you and not harsh words. Whom would you be if you didn’t believe anymore that there was something wrong with you or your life? I want to meet this new You who is aware of their imperfections but accepts all of them with a smile and keeps walking through life, one step at a time, recognizing their essence of Love. The only reason to change is Love. Feel free to choose Love. When you connect with the Love inside yourself, you will be changed. "You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of"
Jim Rohn The value you think you have determines your perception of your own worth. People believe that their value is based on their accomplishments and all they have achieved. But self-worth shouldn’t be measured in external things but in who you are. There is nothing you need to do or be to be worthy. You are worthy because you exist, because you are yourself. Feeling worthy is connected with knowing who you are and owning your gifts and talents. Nobody can take your worth away except yourself. What you think about yourself determines your importance, independently of what others believe you are capable of or what you can have or do. We often seek approval or validation from others to create an opinion about ourselves. We struggle to believe that we are worthy because we rely on what others think, or on the rules society imposes, more than on what we feel about ourselves. We look outside to see if we fit and how valuable we are. If others have more, we are less. If we have more, it seems we are doing ok. When you compare yourself with others, you may think you are less than them or not good enough. The root cause of this can be a lack of acceptance of who you are. Maybe you are judging yourself so hard because of the expectations you have set. The non-accomplished plans can make you feel that you haven’t arrived at the point you wanted to be in life. As a result, you are less than you wanted to be, which provokes enormous suffering.  Lack of money, education, status, relationships, or opportunities doesn’t make you less worthy. But what you think about yourself and your shortcomings affects your perception of your worth. If you don’t know who you really are and what you bring to the world with your presence, it will be difficult for you to understand how valuable you are. The cultivation of appreciation for yourself, just for who you are, will make it easier to understand your worth as a being. Maybe you are thinking, “What am I worthy of?” You are worthy of Love, abundance, freedom, opportunities, and much more. You are worthy of enjoying life. We try to earn Love and worthiness by giving. The less worthy we feel, the more we focus on giving. There has to be a balance between giving and receiving. Feeling worthy means opening your doors to receive what you deserve, what you feel can be yours. Get ready for that. Focus on welcoming and celebrating what you feel worthy of. Connect with what is already yours. Stop trying so hard to make things happen. Recognize your value. There is nothing to do, nothing to work on, nothing to wait for. The only necessary thing is being yourself. That’s enough. Relax. “There is nothing so rewarding as to make people realize that they are
worthwhile in this world” —Bob Anderson Every experience you have during your day is an opportunity to choose Love. How you decide to act in every moment matters. Don’t look at the big occasions; look at the small moments in your life when you react in anger, or lose your temper, when someone says or does something that triggers an instant reaction within you. When you find yourself in one of these moments, ask yourself: why am I reacting this way now? The answer might be that you are taking what the other person is saying or doing personally. But what people do is because of themselves, not because of you. Their acts or interactions with you show who they are and what they think, and have nothing to do with who you are. But throughout your life, you may have learned to take things personally and interpret the interactions with others as “things people do to me.” But they don’t really do anything to you, they do it to themselves. The other day I had an uncomfortable interaction with the person at the security desk in my building. She told me something in a bad tone; she was rude. It was late, and I was tired. My answer to her was to question why I had to do what she was asking me to. I used the same bad tone she had used to talk to me. She triggered something within me. But none of that matters. I missed an opportunity to choose Love, to answer calmly and politely to her, in a loving way. I forgot that her behavior was all about her, her bad mood, or maybe her way of being. It had nothing to do with me. Don’t look at what others do; look at what you feel when others do something. Remember that nobody is able to make you think or feel anything; only you can. Then take the time to observe what you think and feel in that moment, and ask yourself: Why am I feeling this now? It may feel challenging to do at the moment when you are in the experience, but try anyway or do it later. Become aware of what is happening within you.  When you observe yourself and become aware of your reactions without blaming others, you discover valuable things about yourself, like patterns of thought and behavior. Maybe they have always been there, but you never saw them before. You may remember similar situations you lived in the past where you were triggered in the same way, or realize that the relationship with certain kinds of people has always been challenging for you. When I asked myself why I reacted in my encounter with the security person, I noticed that it had something to do with my opinion about authority figures and the abuse of power. I also saw that I felt “less than” when she treated me in a way I considered disrespectful. It was not about her; it was about me and how I see the world and myself. She touched many things within me. But they are not reasons for not choosing peace, Love, and harmony no matter what her way of being was. Love is a state of being, not something you decide to share with some people and not with others. You are Love, and you can show it everywhere you go, at the supermarket, at work, in the post office, gym, or with your family and friends. Decide not to take things personally; do it because you Love yourself. Allow others to make their own choices. It is not your task to judge them. If you want more Love in the world, start bringing more Love into your life and those around you. Don’t ask others to be loving. Bring the Love yourself. You can say what you want to say, declare what you consider unacceptable, or set up boundaries. But do it without answering aggression with aggression, anger with anger, and unkindness with unkindness. The world we live in can be transformed if you decide to transform yourself. We are always waiting for things to change, but you are the change agent. In every moment of your life, you have a choice; always choose Love. The kind of Love that includes peace, kindness, harmony, balance, awareness, understanding, patience, and forgiveness. Choose Love in action. "The people who inspire me most are those who are willing to see the world from a loving perspective. People who perceive obstacles as opportunities and problems as
spiritual assignments. People who choose Love" Gabrielle Bernstein We all want to be loved and appreciated for who we are. We wish to establish relationships that are easy and bring amazing Love and happiness to our lives. But many times, we have problems in our relationships, and we suffer. Love becomes a complicated matter. How can we learn to Love better? By loving. Loving more and more. Love starts within yourself. The greatest Love of all, is the Love you have for yourself. The more Self-Love you cultivate, the more Love you will generate and can share with others. When you are in a relationship, you share the Love that you already have. Love is not an exchange: you give me your Love, and I give you mine. It becomes something greater when you don’t put limits or conditions on your Love, and you Love freely and abundantly. Love Yourself to avoid complications in relationships. When problems arise, it may seem difficult not to take things personally in your relationships. But the way the other person acts only demonstrates who they are, not the amount of Love of which you are worthy. It is easy to interpret what others do to you and the pain you receive as: “I don’t deserve their Love,” “There is something wrong with me,” or “I am not good enough to be loved.” The more you Love yourself, the better you will avoid relationships where there is conflict and power struggles, judgments, the need to control, or drama.  Love brings out the best in yourself. When you establish a relationship of any kind, remember that one of the purposes of relationships is that we are together to grow together. There are relationships that bring out the best of who you are. Just because you are with that person, you become a better you. These are the ones you should cultivate. You don’t have to share the same opinions about everything, but you need to respect the other person and give them enough room to grow. Look for what unites you, and don’t focus on your differences and what separates you. Love is not about solving someone else’s life. When you Love someone, you may feel the temptation of helping the other person “too much,” trying to fix their problems, saving them from their challenges, or sacrificing yourself for their wellbeing. When you do that, you are not really loving the other person; you may be controlling them. You take away their opportunities to change, grow and learn in their own way, or make their decisions. To be real, Love has to be free. It cannot be managed or strategized. It has to flow. Pay attention to yourself to discover patterns of thought or behavior that you may not have realized. For example, when you fear being abandoned, this fear can be triggered unexpectedly. If you are afraid of losing Love, you may change your behavior to be sure you please the other person and that the relationship continues. What you don’t realize is that you stop being yourself. You disappear and give your power away to be sure the other person stays in the relationship, because to receive their Love is more important than yourself. You are not free anymore; you are attached to a Love you don’t want to lose. Love is a decision you make daily. It is not a passing feeling. It is a state of being. You decide to Love. You can Love others in spite of who they are because it is your decision. You decide with whom you share your Love. You can Love the entire Universe and everything on it, including its oceans, trees, and animals, or just your loved ones. It is up to you. The more Love you share, the more you will receive. It multiplies. The Love you give will always return to you. Love is always within YOU. "We really have to understand the person we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess,
it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love" Thich Nhat Hanh There are moments in life where you have to find the necessary strength to go through tough situations and challenges in your life. It may feel impossible to overcome something when you don’t have the energy for it, or you feel like a failure and defeated. If many things accumulate, it may seem too much for you to work it all out, and you may want to give up. We all have experienced times of crisis, faced health or relationship problems, lost someone we loved, had financial difficulties, or suffered through other major events, such as a pandemic. In those moments, you may think that everything is complicated, that life is against you, or that you are having a streak of bad luck. It is common for us to blame the circumstances, other people, or try to run away from problems. I invite you to face these times with understanding and kindness towards yourself. You are what matters the most! Don’t judge yourself for what you are going through, don’t get stuck there. You need to support yourself when all gets dark, uncomfortable, or scary. You deserve your own Love. The better you treat yourself in difficult moments, the more energy you will have to overcome them. The situation you are in is not your fault. Don’t look at yourself as the guilty party. But you are the one that can transform this situation. It is your responsibility to take care of yourself. It means you need to execute your response-ability. You are capable of choosing how to respond. You won’t be able to change what is happening, but you can answer life and the circumstances you are in the way you want. This is your life, and it is for you to decide how to live it.  There is always something you can do while living thru this stage of your life in which you are suffering. The first is accepting what is happening and having the self-honesty to see it. Look at it from a non-judgmental perspective. You cannot resolve a situation by becoming your own enemy, criticizing yourself for where you are or is not working in your life. Self-forgiveness can help you release those things in the past that you want to let go of, and set yourself free to build the life you want. Stop telling yourself that you are not capable or good enough to overcome something, and empower yourself instead. Build resilience. Observe the moment and yourself mindfully. This situation might be an opportunity to change a belief or understand your feelings by being with them. Maybe you will discover that you are stronger than you imagine. Remember other challenges you overcame and how you felt about yourself when it happened. Remember that you are always supported by the Universe, even when you feel alone or lost. You are loved as you are. Ask yourself how you can look differently at your life situation, how you can adopt a different perspective of what is happening. It will allow you to make a shift. Don’t focus only on where you are, and the present problem or pain. Look for what will come after what is happening now. Connect with the life you want to build from now on and with a beautiful future ahead. There is a new reality waiting for you, and you need to get there. You can get there at your own pace. Don’t rush or pressure yourself. Do it for yourself. You can transform your life. I believe in you, and you should too. “It’s part of life to have obstacles. It’s about overcoming obstacles;
that’s the key to happiness” Herbie Hancock Love is the powerful force that connects all of us, and all that exists. It is the reason for our existence and the energy that transforms us. How can it be more present in our lives? Love is an energy you can tap. It is not a passing feeling. It is an option you have to choose. Demonstrate your Love with your actions. Choose to respond to your life experiences with Love. Strong Love, true Love, Love with power, Love that stays present, is compassionate, and never gives up. You can start by adding more Love to the relationship with yourself. Appreciate who you are. Give yourself more hugs. The more connected you are with Love, the better you will be able to share it with those around you in the form of kindness, peacefulness, smiles, and other acts of Love. Every little Love gesture counts and adds to the total. Don’t miss any opportunity to be more loving and less critical with yourself. You can connect with the Love and experience it inside yourself as frequently as you want. It takes just a couple of minutes, and it is very rewarding. You can do this by thinking of someone you Love deeply, like your children or pet, anyone who allows you to feel Love instantly. You can also remember a loving moment you shared with someone. Be there, feel it, dive into it. Stay there enjoying the moment. Just focus on Love.  If there is something you want to change, such as a relationship that is not working, or the fact that people starve, don’t get angry, frustrated, or disappointed by the situation. Instead, add more Love into it by setting the intention that it can be resolved, that we can agree and take action to find a solution. Send your Love energetically, don’t ignore the situation. Trust that Love can affect and change it. Your Love can transform the world. This is how powerful Love is. The way you live and lead with Love will touch others, creating a more loving world. Tune into the Love that exists. There is Love around you. If you pay attention, you will see it and feel it. A family sharing a meal, a kid’s hug to a parent, a couple’s kiss of Love, a big smile someone offers you in a shop, the waiter that takes care of you lovingly in a restaurant, a colleague that provides a helping hand, a friend’s invitation for dinner... Look around and you will see a different world, one where Love is present and alive. A planet where Love exists and heals the wounds we have. Becoming more loving every day is up to you. Nothing has to change for you to do it. It all depends on you. Don’t wait until Love appears in your life; show your Love and more Love will arrive into your life. "Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
Mother Teresa For some people, it is easier to give than to receive. We receive many instructions about how important it is to give during our education and in our culture. Good people Love and give to others is a message imprinted in our minds. We have many opportunities for giving, for being there when others need us, volunteering, checking on others, helping not only those you Love but everyone. And you get something out of it as well; it makes you feel great. It is so rewarding to serve others, to give, to offer what you have. Maybe nobody has explained to you that it is equally important to receive gracefully. We cannot only emphasize giving and forget the other end. Never put conditions to the Love you receive. Accept it with an open heart and be grateful for it. If something arrives to you it is because you deserve it. Be ready to receive without feeling that you have to give something in return. It is time to receive! You cannot receive what you don’t believe can be yours. Feeling unworthy of something guarantees that you cannot have it, and you may even reject it. Someone may offer you their Love and care, but you cannot accept or feel it because you don’t think you deserve it. Love is real when there is a flow of giving and receiving, when balance exists. We know how to Love, it is natural, but we often put limits to the Love we receive from others, stopping it from getting to us.  You are a precious gift. Your uniqueness makes you special. Share yourself. Give yourself to others. Show the world who you are. Express your gifts. Don’t hide thinking that you are not good enough to be seen for who you are. You are not just one more human being. There is only one like you. Share your Love, smile, hugs, laughter, conversation, insights, compassion, your sense of humor. Give all of who you are and see what comes back to you. We also have to learn how to give to ourselves. We, inadvertently, may put ourselves last on our list. We keep giving until we are depleted. This Love, care, time, and attention you give to others, turn it in on yourself. Do it because you Love yourself. You deserve your own Love. You need the understanding and nurturing you offer to everyone. Devote time to know what you need and give it to you. I lost myself in relationships where I thought I had to give and give more to keep the relationship alive. I abandoned myself to nurture others. Now I know that it doesn’t work to give in this way. There has to be balance. There are moments to give, and it is so pleasurable to do it. But Love is not sacrificing. We need to replenish our batteries before they are empty, or we won’t be able to continue giving. In Love, we support others, but we need to support ourselves and be supported as well. Live and give Love, and open yourself to receiving it. "He had always known that to truly receive, you had to give. Now he understood the equal truth: that to be able to give with a whole heart you had to be prepared to receive in turn”
Elizabeth Rolls |
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Judith Costa is a Life and Love Coach, Seminar Leader, Writer and Speaker. She has a Masters degree in Psychology & Psychotherapy and an MBA. She helps her clients to overcome their blocks to Love, to Love themselves and to manifest the relationship they want. Archives
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