I love her


Yesterday I was listening to my mentor, Brooke Castillo, as she was coaching someone.  She was trying to help them see that feeling love is always an option.  Intellectually, I know this to be true.  Since feelings are always created by thoughts, I believe that I can feel love any time I choose a thought that creates the emotion of love.

Brooke said that she often chooses to think the thought "I love her," even when her brain initially tries to offer her a different thought.

I thought that was interesting enough that I wanted to test it out.  Usually I wait for someone to DO something that I love, and THEN I think the thought "I love her."   I decided to try it the other way around.

So when my sister called later that day and my brain thought "I wonder why she's calling?"  I consciously chose to think "I love her."  And when I did, my body was immediately filled with a warm, full feeling.  That is what love feels like to me.  It worked!

Of course it was easy to do with my sister, because my brain already believes that I love her.  That is nothing new.  I tried it on a friend, and then again thinking about a girl from church who I don't even know all that well.  It worked!  Every time I told myself "I love her" and believed it, I got to experience that warm, full feeling again.

Then I decided to really put it to the test.  While I was sitting and watching my son in karate, I noticed another mom walk in.  She is covered in tattoos, and often comes in with her female partner.  She is someone I probably don't have much in common with.  I looked at her and purposely chose the thought "I love her."  It took a little bit longer to get my brain on board with that one, but I repeated it in my mind until I started to believe it.  And slowly but surely, that warm, full feeling started to spread over me. I even had some tears well up in my eyes as I realized that I really did love her.

Feeling love is a choice, my friends.  It is a choice that feels better than any other feeling I have found.  And if I can learn to feel love any time I want to, then I am the one who benefits.  I get to feel warm and full inside as often as I choose.

Love is always the best option.


Christi


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