People who know me well know I am expressive, exuberant, and direct, but not what one readily calls “mushy”. So why in the world this topic? Well, ‘tis the season to be thinking about love. We want to share some WonChow Ways to help you experience a great love life. We truly do believe experiencing more love will rock your world, as well those you share it with!

Tip 1: Unconditional Love – If you want to learn about unconditional love, get a dog! I promise they won’t disappoint! If you have ever had a dog, you know that they are a superior example of unconditional love. They are ALWAYS excited to see you, don’t care what you look like, don’t care what happened a minute ago and are always willing to forgive you for whatever you did, said, or thought! Trust me, Wonton and ChowMein love me regardless of me being me! We can all learn from a canine if we practice living in the moment, loving without holding a grudge, forgiving the past and looking forward to the future! C’mon, try loving the WonChow Way!

 

Tip 2: Love Yourself – Yep, sounds like a Justin Bieber song, but I think we all know how important it is to take care of all that we are – our bodies, minds, and souls! That looks different for each of us. I often use a simple but effective tool: “Wheel of Life.” It’s an interesting evaluation of how my coaching clients evaluate all aspects of their life. Is there a part of your life that needs more attention and focus this year? For me, the focus is around taking better care of my physical self and I am working on it! I needed help so I am getting it from an expert naturopath. How about you? What do you want to focus on this year to ensure you are being kind, compassionate and loving to YOU? We all know that making clear, measurable goals will help us to be intentional and help us to realize powerful progress. I see it often from my clients. Take time to breathe deeply, do something you enjoy and move your body! Self-care is critical so hire a coach, trainer or medical expert if you need more support and expertise to be all that you were created to be! C’mon, get inspired and LOVE YOURSELF!

 

Tip 3: Love Like No One Is Looking – I was raised in the Midwest and was taught it was weak to show tears in front of others. I started my career when it was NOT cool for women to show emotions at work. I worked for years with brilliant, technical people who often acted like Vulcans, relying on logic and not on emotions to lead people or make decisions. After learning more about how our brains and bodies work, I am much more aware of the need to be vulnerable, real and open to be an effective leader, coach and friend. It is OK and wonderful to show loving emotions and to be authentic. People respond positively and relationships go deeper when we can be real and whole with each other. It is amazing and healing to laugh, cry, hug and be ourselves in front of others! C’mon, pretend no one is looking!

 

Tip 4: Love the unlovely – Ok, this one is really, really hard to do, I admit. Who and where is that annoying and difficult person in your life? At work? At a family reunion? At your church? At your committee meeting? I am guessing we all have someone in our lives that is so very hard to be nice to, let alone love! It goes back to unconditional love: giving without expecting a return. Pray for them, think positive things about them, and keep doing all you can in your control to be the loving person, regardless of their response or actions. Why? I have found that the “unlovely” teach me so much about myself and what is unlovely in me! They teach me that I have much to address in my own growth and that by loving them, I ultimately am loving myself. If we all loved the unlovely and provided a little grace, I believe there would be a lot less violence, hate, and discontent in this world! Just sayin’! C’mon!

 

Tip 5: Love Life – We are all given the gift of life and we all have to make a choice every day, whether we love it or not. Just like I mentioned in my last blog, much of how we react is a choice. I would challenge you to love your life! I consider every breath and every day a miracle. I waste some days and throw them away like garbage, but other days, I embrace and am thankful for every moment. I am inspired by those that truly love their lives and I am focusing on acknowledging at least three things every day that I am thankful for. I am doing this before I get out of bed every morning, because studies show it raises serotonin and it also helps us start off the day with a better attitude. C’mon and join me. Let’s live and love every day!

Wonton, ChowMein and I wish you the very best as you read these tips. We hope these simple ideas help you to enjoy a better love life and that you are able to demonstrate more unconditional love for yourself and others, starting NOW!