The Bigness of Love
Dear friend,
Once again, Life is happening. That's my word for the month of June. There is so much to live, love, embrace, explore, experiment and experience. I have no idea how people could be bored, being alive. Every single day offers the unknown and unexpected in ways that create joy and challenge. This past week at an event I got to host a live Hot Ones show. Never done that before.
At this same conference, they had quotes from my book with a picture of me on it around the lobby. Never seen that before. I spoke at a virtual conference for lawyers becoming Deans at university law schools. Never did that before. I finished reading another Robert Crais book with his detective Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. It's my fifth book with these characters. Never imagined that story before.
Point being, I suppose, I'm incredibly grateful for the wonder of life. There is literally something every single day available to us to encounter for the first time. I'm wired to love "first times." It could be because one of my six personal core values is Adventure. Facing something we've never faced before is enticing and frightening. Granted I'm not an adventure junkie or looking for my next dopamine high. I simply welcome the unknown.
At the same time, like you, I want to be in control of as much of life as I can. Plans, strategies, next steps all afford a level of security for my soul. Ha. Is there such a thing in our human existence: Soul Security? Not with other humans and not in isolation. We are constantly exposed to unseen threats... that are also simply life. Man, I love life!
MINDSHIFT
What if the unexpected things beyond our control we focused faith towards instead of fear? How would we respond?
I imagine love is the undergirding of life that offers stability in a system designed to be continuously in flux. I've heard for decades that our two primary foundational elements in life are love and fear. And that every decision, action, hope, belief, transaction, commitment, dream, and on and on, are either rooted in love or fear.
Love is freeing. Fear is restricting. Love is open. Fear is closed. Love believes. Fear doubts. Love expands. Fear shrinks. Love is truth. Fear is a lie. As I keep paying attention to my own decisions, responses, and next steps, I'm practicing stripping it down to the root motivator. Is this love? Is this fear? If everything in our nature comes from one of two places, it's worth determining that for ourselves.
MINDSHIFT
What if this week you kept asking enough questions of yourself that you got down to love or fear in each of your choices?
Love is much harder than fear. It's a paradox, but on the surface love seems to expose, while fear seems to protect. But that's not what's happening. Love positions us to receive, while fear removes the chance of reciprocation. It's a curious matter that has evoked every poem ever written, every piece of art ever created and every expression of care ever given.
Ironically, fear scares us with the dangers of love. It's worth the risk.
I don't do scary, horror type movies, at all. I find no enjoyment in that kind of suspense. Life however, when we aspire to have first-time-I've-ever-done-that experiences weekly, makes us susceptible to failure, looking foolish or frustrations. Fear would advise against it. Love wants us to take the chance, so we can fully experience life. Let's do our best to adhere to love.
SHIFTING
I hope this week you assess your motivations, practice self-awareness and live out an adventure. Your one magnificent life deserves to encounter the bigness of love! #ShiftAway
