A turning point in my life came when love became my default choice for twenty-one straight days. I wondered what opportunities might open up. I wondered what connections might be repaired. I wondered what moments I might capture that I would have otherwise missed. I wondered who I might become.
For twenty-one straight days, I showed up to love—and as you might expect, it wasn’t always pretty.
Sometimes I showed up to love without a smile.
Sometimes I showed up to love feeling ugly, worthless, and inadequate.
Sometimes I showed up to love alone and scared.
Sometimes I showed up to love when I didn’t know what I was doing.
Sometimes I showed up to love when it was the last thing I wanted to do.
Sometimes I showed up to love even when I had a lot on my plate.
Sometimes I showed up to love when my patience was gone.
Sometimes I showed up to love when I had no love to give.
Despite the obstacles… despite the excuses I could’ve made… despite the pressures and distractions of the outside world… despite the mean voice of my inner critic, I continually showed up to love. Why?
Because I never left the same way I arrived.I always walked away a little lighter … a little more at peace… a little more hopeful… a little more grateful… a little more joyful. I found that love was always the right choice. I never once regretted choosing love over all else.
So I showed up to love again
And again
And again.
That repeated action changed me.
Instead of…The One Who is Always Too Busy
The One Who Overreacts All the Time
The One Who Rarely Slows Down
The One Missing All the Fun
I became known as The One Who Always Comes to a little girl whose opinion mattered more than the world.Making it a habitual practice to choose love changed my inner fiber, the wiring of my brain, and my entire life perspective regarding what was important. Thus, I’ve come to believe there is one single action that has the power to transform our lives: CHOOSING LOVE—choosing love as much as humanly possible.
Despite the progress I’ve made over the years, my journey to live my best life is far from over. I am a work in progress, consistently seeking to become a more loving, more present, and more grateful version of myself. Lately, I’ve been feeling like there is more joy, connection, passion, creativity, conversation, and healing waiting to be grasped. Given the negativity and divisiveness permeating our country right now, I can’t think of a better time to make a habit of choosing love. Therefore, I am committing to a Choose Love 21-Day Challenge. Perhaps you’d like to join me…
Why Choose Love?
There are so many reasons…
Tackle an extra hour of paperwork or love?
I choose love.
I will be more productive after taking a much-needed break.
Scream at the driver who just cut me off or love?
I choose love.It will be better for my blood pressure as well as the impressionable ears in the backseat.
Read a text message at the stoplight or love?
I choose love.It could save my life, my loved ones’ lives, and spare me from taking a life.
Hold a grudge or love?
I choose love.
Let resentment be someone else’s lifelong companion.
Say “I can’t play with you” or love?
I choose love.
Seeing her smile as she sets up the game fills me with a sense of peace I can’t find anywhere else.
Get in the last word or love?
I choose love.
Our words will be better heard when we both cool down.
Rant about the spilled milk carton or love?
I choose love.
Spills can be cleaned up; broken hearts are harder to mend.
Post a picture of the present moment on social media or love?
I choose love.
I will remember it more vividly if I capture this moment solely with my eyes.
Complain about the way she’s dressed or love?
I choose love.
By loving her “as is,” I will encourage her to shine her unique light and be herself.
Berate myself for messing up or love?
I choose love.
Accepting my humanness offers my loved ones the freedom to be human too.
Today I will choose love.
Tomorrow I will choose love.
And the day after that, I will choose love.
If I mistakenly choose distraction, perfection, or negativity over love, I will not wallow in regret. I will choose love next.
I will choose love until it becomes my first response … my gut instinct … my natural reaction. I will choose love until it becomes who I am.
My friends, consider the possibilities for a moment: What might result if love becomes your default choice for 21 straight days? What opportunities might open up? What connections might be repaired? What moments might you capture that otherwise might be missed? Who might you become?
Instead of…
The One Who’s Always Too Busy
The One Who Overreacts
The One Who Never Listens
The One Who Rarely Slows Down
The One Who’s Always Grouchy
The One Glued to the Phone
The One Missing All the Fun
The One Who’s Given Up
You might just become The One You Always Wanted to Be…
A Good Listener
A Thoughtful Noticer
A Generous Forgiver
A Take Your Timer
A Belly Laugher
A Risk Taker
An Adventure Seeker
A Silly Grinner
A Moment Grasper
An Enjoyer of Life
Why? Because good things start with love.Show up to love today.
Don’t worry about what you look like or what yesterday looked like.
Just show up to love.
Something tells me you’ll walk away a little better than when you arrived.
Then do it again.
Written by Angel Chernoff