Love is a State of Mind, Not a Public Holiday
A reminder to be kinder to one another
February is upon us, which can only mean one thing — love is in the air, especially in all the marketing around us.
Supermarkets have aisles dedicated to chocolate, sweets, cards and other products labeled as “Be My Valentine” presents. Shops have limited time offers when you apply the code LOVE25, or if they’re more generous — LOVE50. Couples are on most billboards, displaying the latest fashion trends with a touch of PDA.
“It’s the one day of the year where you must treat your partner with extra care and attention,” slogans suggest. Eager shoppers form long queues in front of jewellery stores while the beauty salons get more bookings that they can handle in a month, let alone in 24 hours.
For the singles? The wine & chocolate distributors got them covered, bottles wrapped with the ‘Self Love’ label. If not, Netflix will surely have a collection of alternative titles.
Here’s the thing… love is always with(in) us.
In the good, in the bad, in the predictable, in the surprises, in the sacrifices, in the anticipation, in the memories.
Love is part of every moment we go through, whether we let it come to the surface of our interactions with others or not.
But it’s not the romantic love you’re thinking about. Sure, that love is still part of us, but the love I’m talking about is a state of mind. The kind of love that has you smiling for no reason — just because you’re happy to be alive.
There’s a multitude of emotions within this state of mind: gratitude, joy, calmness, enthusiasm, passion, purpose, to name a few.
Love as a state of mind can be transformational. It has the power the change the way you look at everyday experiences in an instant.
There’s no magic formula to turning the everyday moments into perfect little adventures & treating others with more kindness.
All you need is love for the present moment, for being alive, and for feeling your heart beat with excitement in this very moment.
Spend less time in queues for expensive purchases that can never express the totality of “I love you”. Love boldly even in the quiet moments, like when you brush your teeth, cook dinner, wait for the bus, or take out the trash.
Smile.
Let love reach you, so you can pass it forward.
Spend more time listening with full attention, laughing till your belly hurts, making memories without social media notifications, and planning more activities with loved ones.
Love starts with you.
It’s a state of mind.
This month create the habit of making a little extra room for love every day. Soon enough, this simple habit of loving will transform your life!
