To me, the Holiday Season is a perfect time to think about love. After all, this is a common theme for many of our celebrations this time of year.

I used to think love was an emotion that was felt by one person for another, like the way a parent loves a child or the way a couple loves each other. But now I believe love is much bigger than that. It’s a force for good. It’s a power that can change lives. It’s a heart-centered approach to interacting with the world around us. It connects us with each other, with our purpose, and with our soul/spirit.

One way I’ve been working to nurture this love is to consider a variety of ways I can think about love in my day. Here are a few I often repeat to myself.

I give love.I receive love.I feel love.I radiate love.I am love.I do love.

I’ve found these to be very helpful, especially when I’m triggered. If something or someone has caused me frustration, disappointment, stress, worry, etc. I will take a breath, repeat them, and ask, what would love do?

The famous Bible verse commonly used at weddings comes to my mind.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

How do you nurture this kind of love in your life? Remember the saying, “All you need is love.”