Love and kindness are those qualities you hope you can authentically show up for in all you do. For the friends who need your support and care. For family. For the close, loving relationships that mean the most to your life. AND For yourself.
Recently I had heard a podcast with Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferris and Liz was explaining a personal exercise that she has found so beneficial to her life….A Love Letter to Yourself. The idea being—having a two-way conversation with God and asking, “What would you have me know”…and listening to the loving response about what God would like you to hear about you.
Now, this is not a new idea and I consider myself someone who prays, has conversations with God and who seeks to be in tune to guidance and a belief in a greater divine. BUT, I have written myself five letters in the past couple of weeks and it has been a beautiful gift to myself. I cannot explain the difference of seeing words come to you and typing or writing them on a page and then going back later and reading them. It is a beautiful experience to say and hear things said back to you. It also seems to bring such clarity and guidance of things that seem genuinely important to myself and what I believe on a grander scale. It has been wonderful.
Highly suggest you try it. I decided to get up early, go on a walk and then sit down to write the letters to myself. Just allow. Open yourself to the dialogue and just begin. Don’t overthink. Just listen and feel your way across the page. It is very connecting.
xoxoxo
So, then I decided to challenge my husband to try the same exercise. He is generally pretty skeptical about any of my far out or not normal requests. It is all fine and good for me, but for him….here is the scenario…me asking him and suggesting what a nice opportunity it could be for him after he had been on a nice walk. I suggest, ‘Maybe try writing yourself a love letter tonight and see how it goes and then maybe you could do it a few more times to see how you really feel.’ He immediately responded, “I will do it for you tonight, but I am not going to do it three more times.” I shared, “Well, if you are not wanting to do it for yourself, then don’t bother. I don’t want you doing it for me, you need to do it for yourself.”
Needless to say, he did write the letter to himself and then he shared it with me. It was a beautiful note and it made me tear up in emotion at the sincerity and kindness that was shared. His skepticism of course chimed in, “Well, it was probably all in my head and I don’t know. I just started to look at it like I was in a conversation with God and that’s what came up.” I smiled and teased, “Of course. That is what you do. Of course you are going to hear your own voice. Its like a two-way conversation, but God is not all of the sudden going to have a different voice in the conversation.” smile. smile. “It is a gentle way of connecting and hoping you feel of your worth and love.”
I was grateful he took on the challenge and I was gifted the opportunity to hear the words he shared from the letter. It was a genuine, loving conversation that meant something deeper.
I highly recommend trying this simple exercise for yourself, with family, with your children…it is a connecting exercise that helps everyone feel a little more LOVE. Period.
Some other ideas to connect with God on a deeper level:
Tune in EARLY–I always heard Wayne Dyer share that he had a lot of inspiration come to him in the morning hours—around 3 am. That is when he would do most of his writing. He felt it was the best time of day to tune in.
PRAY–Prayer truly is a great way to simply begin. You can do a written prayer or just begin to ask, connect and talk. Nothing needs to be formal. Just pray from your heart.
CREATE–creativity through writing, art, music…is a very basic way to connect on some level. Many years ago I worked for a lawyer & I found him to be a very inspiring person. I asked him for a list of his top books he would suggest reading. The top of his list, “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron. I was shocked that he had an artist book at the top. He just shared that it took him out of his normal routine and challenged him on another level. That is why he liked it so much. Another great book that I am reading currently, Rick Rubin’s book, “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” Also a great read. Creativity is within all things—the creation of all that is comes from an idea of the imagination…the seed of a dream…a divine spark…a whisper of a possibility. Creativity is a doorway to another depth, a challenge and connection beyond.
READ something inspiring–There are so many people in the world with their unique talents, stories, experiences, lives they’ve led and you can learn so much from them. Find those people or stories that inspire you, read from the masters, learn from the leaders of old, tune in to those people who inspire you and shed light on your world. Follow those souls who bring you to awe. When you read something and FEEL something–listen, take note, be aware, wake-up. When you read something and highlight the whole book…Follow that.
MUSIC–I genuinely feel more alive, inspired on another level when I hear a piece of music that seems to lift to the heavens. I just heard Coldplay’s new album & the song “One World” —it is a gorgeous song that has a lot of instrumental. [enJOY the instrumental parts in this song—gorgeous] It just took my soul to a heavenly place. Music can be like that. Whether its lyrics or the tune or the instruments…there can be pieces that set your soul free. Im sure every song is different for each individual. PLAY the music and see how it FEELS to your soul. Music has a power all its own. The heavenly muses play through us to bring it to the world to share. What a beautiful idea. Truly listen to the beauties.
CALM–through stillness, your breath, meditation, yoga, movement [like walking]…there are so many variables of things that can bring you to a quiet place and allow you to fall into a flow or a deeper rhythm of calm or a focus that transports you higher.
Tapping into your own STRENGTHS or PURPOSE–you have your own unique gifts that lead you to a higher calling to share with the world. Maybe you are really good at lifting people through leadership or have a natural eye for photography or easily string together a beautiful combination of words in writing. Everyone has things that light them up and get them excited. Follow that excitement and enthusiasm to those things that stir your soul and energize you. Chase after them, learn and grow through them and get yourself to a place to share with the world. YOU do you. The rest will come.
Pick a SPIRITUAL TOPIC and study it for a year & share what you learn–I remember when Wayne Dyer decided to do this with the Tao and got rid of everything material in his office space. He then carried a copy of the Tao with him everywhere and began to focus on one part for a specific set time. He then created his own ideas to share.
Keep a list of DAILY BLESSINGS–aka gratitude lists. You can do this on an individual basis or you can ask every family member to also share in this. Have everyone share blessings around the dinner table OR you can also share before bed OR you can also have everyone text things to one another throughout the day to keep the conversation and connections going.
Some other sweet ideas I found online to tap into a DEEPER CONNECTION–Go on a prayer walk around your neighborhood & pray for each individual as you pass their home . Blow a kiss to the sunrise or sunset and give thanks as you enjoy the beauty . Look at tiny details in nature and give thanks for the awe and amazement of such creations . Sing hymns that resonate with you . Go on a hike and give thanks for the grandeur and details all around . Light a candle every morning and read a devotional of some kind . Find a local cathedral and just admire the beauty and detail within the walls . Create your own prayer bead ritual and give thanks in your own way with each bead . Practice being of service by cleaning out your old & donating to those in need . Practice solitude with a specific time or day to have a technology break . Ask God to bring someone to you that needs you to help them . Write down personal miracles or moments of grace that you or your family were given . Once a week [over dinner or breakfast] have everyone share something that they felt helped them feel connected to God in some way . Have everyone in your family write down their own stories or experiences of when they felt God touch their lives .
Strive to JUST LOVE–Love is the opposite of all that is harsh or detrimental or destructive. It is a place of peace, light, calm, a higher place to seek to exist. Do all you can to simplify, grow in kindness, become a little better each day, let go of fear or judgements, calm the waters of chaos or anxiety…do all you can to strive to come from a higher place of love. Practice that. Every thing takes time, so you may as well practice to come from LOVE than anything else, right?
There are many little things we can seek and strive to do to bring a deeper connection with God. Coming from a place of LOVE is the greatest goal. Take it day by day…write a love letter to yourself. Write a love letter to your children. Help a neighbor feel loved. Be love. Spread Love.
As Coldplay says in the song…IN THE END, IT’S JUST LOVE.
DO THAT. xoxo
Peace, Love and Light to you. -H
You never know how you will be impacted by those who come into your life. What will you take away from those experiences of meeting new people or even going a little deeper with those you are surrounded by. We need connection. We need to learn from others and their stories.
One of our new friends had already performed at a famous theater here in Utah as the lead. She sings, dances, sews, knits, plays the piano and guitar & is taking aerial silks. It was fun to get to know her & learn of her many talents. It was also nice to meet her mother who was from Ukraine. At one point during our afternoon I asked this young girl if she ever thought she would visit her mother’s home country to get a better understanding of her mother & her history. The girl looked at me and said, “the country has been ruined from war and I don’t know if we would ever go back. It is not like it use to be.” It was wonderful to listen to stories of how her mother grew up with a father who only put vegetables in the garden and not “beauty.” I took this young girl to a local nursery to pick out some flowers & make our own little pot of “beauty.” She walked the nursery saying, “my mother loves flowers. She would love this one. She loves petunia’s….” It made me have a whole new appreciation for “beautiful flowers.” When we dropped off our new friend, I looked at her mother’s flower pots that she had all over her yard & I thought about her perspective on “beauty” and I smiled at her pots and pots of flowers. We take so much for granted.
Our other new friend has been suffering from an unknown illness that has put her in the hospital numerous times, has been through three surgeries and still wonders if she is going to be okay. She still has flare ups. We sat at an outdoor eatery & talked about her experiences & how she wants to go into medicine even further because of her illness. She said it was the hardest to see her parents go through everything with her. She was an incredible girl with so many hopes and dreams. I sat and listened to her explain how she had read about a doctor who spends most of his year in third world countries and how she would like to follow in his footsteps. My admiration for her dream soared. She talked about constantly learning about medicine, learning more about homeopathic medicine, trying to find different ways to cope with her illness. She was so strong & so alive & so smart and beautiful. She lit up talking about playing the guitar & piano & is constantly learning new things. She was an inspiration. I thought to myself, she is so young, has learned so much & continues to pursue anything and everything her heart desires. If we could all be like that!! Maybe being sick, wondering if you may live and always searching for answers leaves you aching for more of what life has to offer. I am sure every day is a new day filled with possibility for her.
Now, seriously. It was humbling and my heart ached for people who suffer from health issues. It made me think of my friend who was pregnant and had a stroke during her pregnancy. She lost mobility and memory. She struggled to find a reason for what had happened to her. She came to the realization that if it was for her child, she could struggle through & then she was thrown into the fire of losing that child. She wondered why. She began to question everything. She fell into a depression. She had not only lost physical mobility, she was now struggling with emotional mobility. She had other children she needed to take care of, so she had to go deep into her emotional reserve and find a place where she could begin to build again.
Do you have healthy children? If you need a little more realization on this go watchthe movie, “Miracles from Heaven.” My husband and I balled watching what that family had to go through and endure. It is based on a true story. Just imagine having a sick child & how difficult that would be. Go hug your children and thank the heavens that they are healthy and happy.
Two gifts you opened this morning–your eyes: You have the gift to see. There are many people who don’t take the time to look at the details, to notice the small gifts all around them. Read something. Go outside and look at the symmetry of leaves. Watch the clouds. Enjoy a sunrise or sunset. Notice color.
Do you have abundance? Whether it is fruit available for picking, a grocery store full of a variety of goods, running water, energy, family near, somewhere to live…My sister-in-law just moved to California. They had a house lined up to move into when they arrived, but the day they were to move in, the funding fell through. Luckily they had a trailer to live in while they are trying to work things out. My sister-in-law laughed as she explained their situation, “and I wanted to sell the trailer!” My response, “I bet you are glad you have it right now.” They are living in a trailer, but are abundant with love. They took a day as a family and made it a memory in Disneyland. She joked that they are homeless, but they are in Disneyland and enjoying it. Every situation is different, but if you can find the abundance wherever you are, you will find the gift within the situation.
Do you have love? We all come from love, but sometimes that gets lost in the confusion of life. You may be surrounded by friends and family who love you or you may have a best pet friend or maybe you are constantly searching for love. Do you love yourself? Love can be found in service, caring for another, holding the hand of someone afflicted, listening to someone in need…LOVE is everywhere, it is a gift that may be freely given or you may need to seek and find it. Love is in our nature.
Do you have a healthy body? Many of us take for granted and sometimes abuse the incredible gift we have been given–our body. It is an amazing piece of systematic genius. How are bodies function is a miracle & we do not have to do anything. It runs beautifully. Sometimes it is put on us to take better care of this amazing gift and we need to take it seriously. When we begin to break down, life becomes more difficult. We need to seek out good healthy habits. We need to find exercises we love. We need to sleep, drink water and do good things. Do you appreciate the ability to touch, to hear, to breathe, to taste yummy foods, etc. We need to be grateful for the health and happiness we have.
Do you appreciate being able to learn and grow? We have a great ability to learn anything with the help of the internet, youtube, connecting with others, etc. It is amazing!! We are only limited by what we do NOT do. Learn something new & guaranteed you will find a new zest for your life. You will begin to strive to seek out new things more often to enhance your life. You will learn and want to share with others around you. It is contagious! When we don’t seek out new things, we become stagnate and don’t grow. Take the time. It is worth it. Seek to learn something new each day, even if it is something small. You will fill it boost your day. I promise!
Do you have balance? Mind. Body. Spirit. All come together as a whole.
I think we are all learning lessons in bravery throughout our lives. We begin with first steps as children and then first days of school to first friendships and on and on. Life is a constant lesson in being brave.
I have a sweet dog we adopted in December and he is currently training “to be brave.” He came to us afraid of strangers, scared to death to go on a walk and face things he has no experience with (bikes speeding by, strangers too close, different environments, etc). He grew up in a home where the owner would go to work ten hours a day and he would just sleep in his crate, so now he is constantly being introduced to new things. I think there are things he loves like exploring our backyard and finding sticks and birds and learning to “be brave” when facing new things everywhere he goes. We cheer and give him happy hugs when he is brave enough to let a stranger get close. It is one little step at a time.
Here are some small steps to help you become a little braver each day:
WHAT TRULY MATTERS IN LIFE (Author Unknown)
FOLLOW YOUR DREAM:
GET GRATEFUL: This morning I shared with them a video clip of a girl who got cancer when she was nine & had to have her leg amputated, but what they did with part of her leg was inspired. Check it out. 
EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE: Life Lesson–You don’t have to do anything…you don’t have to be happy, you don’t have to be sad. It is a beautiful freedom to feel, be, do, say and become anything we want. We have a choice every day to decide the direction we want to go in–positive or negative. We decide how we react to any situation and we decide what we learn from every situation. We have a choice every single moment of our lives.
Thomas Edison’s laboratory was virtually destroyed by a fire in December, 1914. Although the damage exceeded $2 million, the buildings were insured for only $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof. Much of Edison’s life’s work went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison’s 24-year-old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris. He finally found him, calmly watching the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind.
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