February has been declared American Heart Month. A timely question for each of us to ask is: How do I love me, with this being the month of Valentine’s Day.
For the month I thought to blog in a series on Love.
This first post of three in a series invites you to explore the different kinds of love and focus on self-love. Taking care of our hearts in a physical, emotional and spiritual way makes good heart sense!
How do we define love? Love has been described in many ways:
- Agape love: brotherly/sisterly love, God’s love toward wo/mankind
- Storage love: natural affections for offspring, parents, children, family
- Philia love: friendship
- Ludus love: love as a game, player who conquers to win many loves
- Pragma love: raalistic, chartered for practicality and alignment of goals
- Eros love: intimate love of sexual passion
In my experience there can be combinations and many of these appear in self-love. At least I believe you cannot give what you don’t have for yourself. So I begin with the importance of self-love. And how then do you express love of and for yourself? Getting an annual checkup is a gift I give myself every Valentine’s day cycle. Working out, eating right, taking meds if needed, praying, meditating, drawing and painting, walking on the beach, spending time with special people in my life are the ways I love myself. Oh, yea, don’t forget my gratitude jar!
Self-love, self-esteem, self- worth, etc all can only be found and given to you by you they don’t come from anyone else. As a life coach I ask questions, listen intently and observe. Here are some of what I help you discover and search within to support you in defining yourself which is a revolutionary act!
How do you show love of self to and for yourself? How do you treat yourself? If I observed you for a day, a week or so how would I describe the love you have to give based on the love you give to yourself? That is worth pondering! Call on me when you are ready, really ready to take a deep dive. Until then, take a look at a previous blog on the subject.
In the next two series we will explore and ponder:
- Partner romantic love- of “other” as important as an investment in our lives as any 401K, Stock Options and all else we negotiate so diligently pursue.
- Forgiveness the greatest love of all and the challenge to keep an open and pure heart.