Today’s the day.

Valentine’s Day.

Everybody is talking about love.  But what would happen if I REALLY loved.

I wrote yesterday about what would happen if I really loved God and loved others.

But what would happen…

if I loved MYSELF?

What would happen if I really loved?

What would happen if I loved ME?

What would happen if I opened up my heart wide and gave myself everything I had?


I would give myself more time.

I would make the space necessary to be better acquainted with who I am – what I think, feel, and really believe. I would realize that even though lots of people need me, I also need time and energy to cultivate Chrystal.

I wouldn’t wait on a Valentine or chocolate or a card from someone else.  I’d make my own coffee, pour my own wine, sparkling apple cider, or whatever my health and conscience would allow, put on my favorite fluffy socks, and enjoy time with myself. I’d even buy the chocolate I actually liked and savor every last bite.

Socks and coffee...

I would get that fact that I can’t save everyone else all the time if I’m not also continually making an effort to save myself.

I would stop allowing the busyness of my days to interfere with margin – the time and space to be still. And I wouldn’t feel guilty about saying “no”.

I would stop rushing through the difficult stages of my life, give myself all the time I needed to get through them, and I would  devote longer stretches to examining my heart and pressing through my pain.

I would give myself room to have my ugly cry. I’d be willing to say “I’m not okay”. I give myself space to be alone when I needed to be.

I would give myself more time.

And I wouldn’t be afraid to be alone – because really, I’m never alone.

 

I would trust myself.

I would believe in my own dreams and desires enough to “go for it” even if I harbored a sense of anxiety and apprehension.

I would be willing to take a chance on ME and understand that great things never come from comfort zones.

Take a chance

I would have an attitude of excitement about my life instead of allowing fear to have a foothold.

I would stop ignoring the warning bells that my soul sets off.  I’d stop trying to convince myself that the person hurting me wasn’t doing just that.  If the relationship is worth fighting for, I’d be brave enough to confront in love. If the relationship can go, I’d be brave enough to gracefully move on.

I would learn self-respect. I would stop placing conditions on my willingness to hold myself in high regard. I would recognize my own value. Why not?  I’m created in the image of a magnificent God.

I would esteem myself just because I am. I would treat myself like the person I believe I can become.

I wouldn’t get caught up in or tripped up over my mistakes. I would pick myself up, dust off, and keep moving forward.

I would give myself a break.

And I recognize that I’m still growing.

 

I would tell myself the truth.

I wouldn’t play games with myself or others and try to be someone  or something I’m not.

I would be honest about where I’d messed up but I wouldn’t use my mistakes as an excuse for becoming better.  I would acknowledge my mistakes, learn from them, and work to make stumbling blocks stepping stones.

I would speak kindly of myself. I wouldn’t just be truthful about my bad.  I’d also be truthful about my good.

I would be much slower to tear myself town and quicker to use loving language about my heart, my head, and the “house” I’m walking around in. I’d be willing to recognize the ugly spots in my heart and get to work to be make changes where needed.

As I work on being beautiful inside, I wouldn’t be afraid to let it overflow on the outside too.

I’d keep working to be my best “me”. And while I’m working on it, I’d make the effort to show the best “me” to the world and dress the mess out of the body I’ve got.

DressthemessPhoto credit:  Pharris Photography

I would realize the power of my words to name my potential. I would understand the difference between humble confidence and conceit and then use my words to positively reflect my God-given potential.

I would know the difference between humility and self-deprecation – then I’d practice one and stop doing the other.

I would learn to vocally express life – and speak it into the fiber of my very being.

I would give myself the gift of hope.

And the sight to see what I can become.

What if I believed in my futurePhoto credit:  Pharris Photography

And I would choose to believe that I have a future.

 

If I loved myself, I would open up my heart wide and give my life, my only life, everything I have.

I would live fully.

I would recognize that I’ve got one shot.

One shot during my time on life’s stage to play my part and perform for an audience of One.

 

What would it look like if I really loved?

What would happen if I decided to illustrate that love with reckless abandon in every space of that stage that my life occupies?

Today, everybody is talking about love. And while the same word is on the lips of millions of people, millions of people aren’t necessarily talking about the same thing.

Love God. Love People. Love Yourself.

But what would happen if I showed what it means to love.

What if my very actions where visible, palpable, offerings of love that existed every day of the year.

What if I loved God in a way people could see.

What if I loved people in a way people could see.

What if I loved myself in a way people could see.

Then maybe… just maybe… everywhere I go and every moment I live, my love will be an action that makes a difference.

And one that matters every day of the year.