Do we have the capacity to love everyone we encounter? It seems easy to love family members and friends, but what about other people that we encounter throughout life? What about the person who cut you off in traffic or who stabbed you in the back? Can we really love everyone unconditionally?
I say ‘yes’, and I also challenge you to see for yourself how it’s not merely possible, but also quite doable. As with everything in life, love is also a choice. Therefore, choose to love and you are ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure.
“Love will immediately enter into any mind that truly wants it.” – A Course in Miracles
Betsy Otter Thompson in her book Walking Through Illusion gives a beautiful explanation of how love is a choice we make. “Hearts are free to express from the depth to which they go. It means that each of us is free to love in the face of reasons not to. If we love, the heart goes deeper to reveal our true identity. If we don’t love, more opportunities arrive through which to do so.”
If you are ready to choose love, here are five simple steps you can take to quickly start loving everyone you encounter.
1. Love in their shoes
Whenever you find it challenging to love someone, try walking in their shoes. Most likely, you’ve done the same thing yourself, or something similar.
To some degree or another, in our own minds we have all waged wars, killed ideas, wished that someone would die, judged people, and thought unspeakable things, just to name a few. If we could see a movie of our thoughts throughout life, we’d be astonished. We are not all that different, even though we may like to think so. :-)
2. Love without restrictions
A good rule of thumb to use when attempting to love without restrictions is to refrain from judging others. Who are we to judge which people we should love and which we should withhold love from?
I have a saying that always helps me remove all restrictions from loving others.
I don’t know you, and I love you already.
This means that we don’t even need to know or meet the other person before we decide whether to love them. We have already laid out on the table that there are no restrictions to our love. The phrase simply states that our love is unconditional.
3. Love with abandon
When you surrender to love, you love others with abandon, and you allow them to love you back with the same openness. Some people think that love hurts, and this makes them afraid to let go. If that’s what is holding you back, consider this:
“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” –Mother Teresa
4. Love without expectations
The best way to love someone (or everyone for that matter) is to not expect anything back. Just love for the sake of love or to create a more loving world. Love because it feels good and because you wish well to others. Love because you are love — and because you can’t help it.
Even though you are not expecting anything back, don’t be surprised if the more you love others, the more love comes your way.
“The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned.” – William Somerset Maugham
5. Love continuously
Love is the kindest gift that you can give yourself and others. Therefore, why not share this wonderful gift all the time? Develop the habit of sending love to everyone you encounter throughout the day. As you develop this habit, it will become easier and easier to love everyone.
“Laugh as much as you breathe, and love as long as you live.”
Give meaning to love
By following the steps outlined here, you will be on your way to spreading love and contributing to a loving world. In the end, “love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.” Be the one to give meaning to love. Be the one to start loving, instead of waiting for others to love you first.
So now, how do you feel about loving everyone you encounter? Do you feel it’s possible? Are you up for the challenge?
With you always in my heart,
Andrea
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Lovely post Andrea. It’s thoughtful and very well expressed. It seems we are on the same track this week… albeit on an entirely different topic… and using an entirely different approach [and sending out from entirely different continents] but we are still somehow on the same track! Love kindness and caring. Great stuff. And so very much worth sharing around! Thanks for writing this…:-)
Hi Jean! Thanks for coming by. I’m excited to be on the same page with you. I see what you mean, love is in the air. I’m glad to see you sharing love everywhere, including parking lots. :)
Loving blessings!
Andrea,
What a wonderful message of hope in our world!
For some time now, I have been really focusing on not judging others (well…I’m sure I still do, although hopefully very limited). I believe very much that we have no way of fully knowing what anyone else’s path fully is…that path that has led them to where they are today (even those we know deeply). And in that – how can be judge?
What I’ve found…as I really focus on this: that love just flows so much more deeply for me. And that is such a beautiful thing!
So, reading your words today – this just all takes it even deeper for me. And for that I am so, so grateful, Andrea. What a gift you are!
Much peace and love to you,
Lance
New from Lance – Sunday Thought For The Day
Hi Lance! Thanks for such beautiful and kind words.
I agree that when we don’t judge we can love freely and deeply. It can be challenging to remove judging completely since we are so conditioned to it. I also work on not judging myself and others constantly. I consider it be an important step to happiness.
We know that we are love, we can help but give love. Loving blessings, my friend!
Andrea: What a great post and a great topic. I think it is common to find people that say they are committed to being a loving person. However, in order to really deliver on that goal, you have to make certain that your definition of “being a loving person” is as broad as it should be. You gave a lot of really helpful tips here that I appreciated as well. Sometimes, we have to make certain we are conjuring up loving thoughts and that means we may have to do a little more until the feeling just rises to the surface naturally and all the time. I thought your list was very helpful in terms of pointing us in the right direction. Great post.
Hi Sibyl! Good points. Sometimes it takes work to be a “loving person”. The more and more you conjure loving thoughts, the easier it gets. It’s an exercise in being a loving person and living a loving life. Life gets much easier when we can relate to others from a loving place.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Loving blesssings!
There are two alternatives in life – love or hate.
There is no middle path of indifference because the world we live in is mostly negative. With that in mind, we often fall into the fear trap of hatred.
The first two commandments are to love God and then your neighbor as yourself. If you can live by this plumb line then the rest of the rules fall away because you’ll not cause anyone harm.
Is it an easy path? No; but love never fails, fades out, becomes obsolete or comes to an end.
Pure love is a decision not an emotion.
New from Andre – Comment on HQ Raided Classified Agenda Discovered by Stringfree
I love your hardcore approach of no middle road. That’s pretty much how I feel about life, no compromises only choices. Amen that love is a decision that we make. It gives us the option to live in a loving world instead of being victim of the world.
It’s always lovely to hear your input. Loving blessings!
Andrea,
I work at a busy restaurant and it can get stressful at times. After reading your post, I realized that I sometimes put myself in a different state of mind to deal with the stress. I guess I make myself love everyone I am dealing with during that time and positive energies start flowing through my body and my mind. “Love continuously” is something I still need to work on.
Very thought-provoking post for me. Thanks for the great work.
Sam Thatte
New from Sam Thatte – Is this a job- a career or a passion
Hi Sam! This approach can definitely help with stress. When we let love in, there is no room for stress, fear, or anger. Love pretty much is the cure for all maladies. :)
Good luck practicing love at work and throughout life.
Thanks for visiting. Loving blessings, my friend!
Yes, it is possible to love everyone. Like you said, we have to keep from judging them. That is the part that stops the love. Feel compassion for other and the love will follow.
Debbie
Hi Debbie! Yes, when we feel compassion for others, our hearts melt and open up to others like a blooming flower. It can then be very easy to love.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful thoughts. Many loving blessings!
Wonderful post! It makes me appreciate where people are in their lives.
Hi Mira! Appreciation is always a wonderful gift. :)
Thanks for visiting and for sharing your thoughts! Loving blessings!
“Be the one to start loving, instead of waiting for others to love you first.”
I have put this on my todo list, moved it to the top and made it due today, so it will be there as a reminder as I check the list a few times throughout the day, everyday!
Hi Carlisia! Good for you. I like how you stay true to your list. I have list AD&D sometimes. I love lists but tend to stray from them. I have to use lots of will power to stay on track.
Thanks for taking action and making it happen today. Loving blessings!