“Love has the power to heal, the power to inspire, and the power to change the world.” — By Melody Beattie.
I came across this sentence by Melanie Beattie, who was an American self-help author. Her bestselling books and pioneering voice were in the addiction, recovery, and codependency genres.
Her words struck me like a bolt of lightning about the transformative power that love has within us.
Our world is negative right now, and in all the carnage of war, conflict, and political turmoil, we can forget what’s most important.
Love, in the here and now.
We all need a reminder of the love we have in our lives. The gifts and talents that we possess. The way we live in the world with others.
Look around you. Who are the people closest to you? Who are your colleagues and friends?
Our environment and the way you interact with others have a huge impact on who you are. Do you feel the love from others around you? Are you valued for who you are?
We are all unique, and the way we think and act has the power to change our own lives and those around us.
Melanie’s words remind us that love isn’t just an inner experience, but something that has the potential to emanate from us, and into the world.
Think about it for a moment. If you wake up and walk around as if you have a permanent shadow around you, are you likely to talk to people? Will people want to talk to you? The answer is probably no.
If you go for days without talking to people, you will eventually start feeling lonely. Humans are social creatures, and we need others to lead better lives.
How about instead, you wake up with a positive vibe — even if you’re not feeling it that day — fake it. Pretend you are happy and content. Smile as you mean it and see how many people return that smile.
Do you notice the change in yourself and your surroundings?
Positivity leads to happiness, and if you and those around you are happy, who knows what you can achieve!
Once love has dispersed from you into your wider surroundings, you notice the change immediately through positivity and growth.
Your day feels lighter, and so does your outlook on life.
That deadline doesn’t feel quite so heavy.
You take things in your stride, and it’s infectious. Other people start to notice the happy vibe and copy you.
Only love can empower us to heal ourselves and our world.
Can you harness that healing power into your life?
Sure, you can.
Think about a time when you chose to support a friend or loved one. That is love. Nurturing our relationships makes our bonds with the world stronger.
You become a source of inspiration for others by showing up and allowing positivity into their lives. That is love. By spreading love, empathy, and compassion, you can give a brighter day for everyone.
A smile.
A compliment.
A thank you.
A listening ear.
A small act of kindness.
That is love.
Giving someone a pat on the back for a job well done. Bringing someone a donut because you notice how hard they are working without a break.
Giving your surroundings some love makes you feel great, too. It feels good to make someone smile after giving them a compliment.
What will you do to brighten up your tomorrow?
Everything begins with you.
My name is Lizzy. I’m a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.
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For more about me: https://www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com
Elizabeth Woods grew up in a world of brutal sex offenders, murderers, and inconceivably neglectful adults. Elizabeth is passionate about spreading awareness of what it is like to survive after trauma. She is the author of several books and has written her memoir, telling her childhood story: The Sex-Offender’s Daughter: A True Story of Survival Against All Odds, available on Amazon Kindle and paperback.
Elizabeth is also the author of “Living with Complex PTSD” and the Cedar’s Port Fiction series: “Saving Joshua”, “Protecting Sarah”, “Guarding Noah” and “Bringing Back Faith,” and “Restoring Hope,” available here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCBZQN7L/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=7e223b5b-1a29-45f0-ad9d-e9c8fdb59e9c&ref_=ap_rdr&ccs_id=931f96e2-c220-4765-acc8-cc99bb95e8bd