To love infinitely. What does that really mean? To love infinitely and unconditionally. Most people will answer that it means to love others, to respect & care for the world we live in & to give love to everyone we meet. But there is one big thing that is missing from this description. We have to remember to love ourselves unconditionally.
Anyone who works in the retail or service industry knows how quickly the idea of loving infinitely and unconditionally can go right out the window.
I have many passions, but what I am most passionate about is the environment and the creatures that inhabit it. For as long as I can remember, all I’ve ever wanted to do is help to heal some of the many problems we’ve inflicted on the Earth. So that’s why I’m now in University, studying to become a conservation biologist. My dream is to move to a developing country after I graduate so that I can use the skills I’m learning in school to try and save the tremendous biodiversity of these countries, so that the many species that live there do do not become diminished.
This past spring I traveled to a village on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and spent two weeks volunteering with a sea turtle conservation program while living with a local family. This experience has forever changed my outlook on many things in my life, and also made me fall in love with volunteering. In the future I would love to return to Latin America to volunteer on a sustainable organic farm, as I had the opportunity to see some of the devastation that monoculture farming has done to the country’s rich natural environment. But also on my list is South Asia. Thanks to this blog, spending time with elephants at Lotus Elephant Sanctuary is on my list!
Thank-you for everything that you do to help make a difference in the world, and for giving people like me the chance to share our stories.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Mahatma Gandhi
In order to love others fully and unconditionally, it is imperative to focus on YOURSELF. Although easier said than done, confidence and self-love are easily learned. It’s all about practice. Let me rephrase that: It’s all about daily practice. Here at Love Infinitely, we are dedicated to spreading the love to those around us. However, we are also committed to the daily practice of self-love, which enables us to love others without limits.
It’s not enough to love others– you have to love yourself first.
I speak from the heart here. I wasted years on comparing, criticizing, and despising myself. From personal experience, I can tell you that it takes work to re-install your mind. Decide right now to commit to the daily practice of the following three activities and watch your life transform.
Add a Pinch of Love: Learn How to Fall in Love with Yourself
1. Begin each day with a morning prayer
A Course in Miracles emphasizes the importance of daily prayer and meditation. While you are still lying in bed, pray for guidance. It is imperative that you perform this before doing any activity. Close your eyes, relax your body, slowly breathe in and out, and pray:
“Oh Universe, set me free from all the limiting beliefs that block me in believing in my greatness.”
2. Pay attention to your thoughts
You spend all day thinking, but do you actually pay attention to your thoughts? What are you telling yourself? Focus on the energy of your thoughts: positive or negative. Notice the negative-self talk and immediately put an end to it. Shift your energy by telling yourself two positive affirmations for every one negative thought. Find things you like about you and fall in love with those traits. Remember: you are enough.
3. Stop comparing yourself to others
When we compare ourselves to others, we often end up judging ourselves. It is inaccurate and, quite frankly, irrelevant. The key is to re-direct the thoughts. Again– focus on yourself. Be able to be inspired by others’ work rather than dragged down by it. Thrive to become a new and improved version of yourself.
“Body image and self-acceptance go hand in hand. When we take the necessary steps to reconnect with our self-love then our body image issues begin to subside. This miraculous shift occurs when our inner love shines so bright that it reflects outward.”-Gabrielle Bernstein
Love yourself so you can love others.
Remember: who you are today is a result of the decisions you made yesterday. Who you will be tomorrow depends on the choices of today. Change is constant.
~Aleks
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